Sports News of Sunday, 25 June 2017

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Joe Addo blasts Dzamefe Commission for ignoring their mandate

Hearts of Oak Corporate Affairs manager Joe Addo Hearts of Oak Corporate Affairs manager Joe Addo

Former Black Stars and Hearts of Oak defender Joe Addo has blasted the 2014 Justice Dzamefe Commission for picking and choosing instead of working on their mandate stipulated by the government.

To him, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry picked on issues that were of particular interest to them and swept their main mandate under the carpet.

“I thought the Commission was going to talk about why our players didn’t want to play the last group game. They were waiting for their money and why the money was flown to Brazil were the major issues for the Commission,” Joe Addo said on The Football Legends Night Show on GhOne TV on Friday.

“Somebody was responsible for the delay of that money and they know it. That’s why some of the players were upset and throwing blows around. They had information that the money had been released but why was it not in Brazil? He questioned.

The unhappy ex-footballer questioned why the Commission ignored their mandate of fishing out what the cause of the players’ behaviour was and rather dwelling on what interests them.

“We pick and choose who we want to blame but there were people who were responsible for all the delay culminating in the players’ boycott. If the players had not demanded for the money, we wouldn’t have had a commission. So why was that swept under the carpet?

Ghana’s disappointing performance at the 2014 World Cup compelled the then NDC government to set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the cause of the team’s performance.

The players had also threatened not to play the final group game against Portugal due to delays in the payment of their appearance fees for the tournament.

The government wanted the cause of the unpardonable behaviour of the players, hence setting up the Commission

But many believe that the Commission never tackled the issue and handled issue on a more personal level.