Prosecute Corrupt And Shameless Officials Involved In World Cup Fiasco

The Ghana National Senior Team, the Black Stars' participation at the FIFA World Cup tournament in Brazil came to a disappointing end after failing to win a single match in the first round.

This is the first time Ghana has been booted out of the world's greatest competition at the round 32nd stage.

The Forum for Progressive Ghana (FPG) is appalled by organization of the entire project which was dubbed 'one Ghana" by the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association.

The country's world cup project had been bedeviled with too many scandals and we call for a bi partisan Parliamentary inquiry into the debacle.

The sketchy information about what actually took place at the Black Stars' camp, the disgraceful thievery, corruption and wanton dissipation of the state resources reported from the world's tournament calls for a decisive action against the perpetrators of the fiasco.

Ghana's image in the international community had never been as debased as was witness during the 3 matches’ duration of our participation.

Although the country can boast of many sporting disciplines including the Women's football, Amputees’ sports, athletics, table tennis, boxing among others, a huge percentage of the sports ministry's budget and other corporate institutions' contributions to sports have always been given to the GFA and the Black Stars.

Also worrisome is the allegations leveled against the president of the Ghana Football Association and his agents regarding match fixing.

Denials cannot suffice and the GFA must give the people of Ghana and the football world a better confidence by suing the international organization that sort to denigrate the integrity of the Ghana's football if they are innocent of the allegations.

The President Mahama's handling of the situation which saw the Minister of Youth and Sports and his deputy being reshuffled to the presidency and Ashanti region respectively only smacks of presidential involvement in the whole scandal. The 23 Black Star players were allegedly accompanied by a 75 management squad. Indiscipline and violence activities were reported in the camp of the Black Stars. Ghana became the only country at the tournament which sacked two of her players amid accusation of indiscipline and corruption.

Prior to the tournament, the then Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports announced the sending of 5,000 NDC football supporters to Brazil. Reports of the accommodation and food provided to these supporters indicate very bizarre scenarios that put the image of Ghana in disrepute.

Some Ghanaian Artists classified as "Football Ambassadors" were also sent to Brazil at the expense of the poor Ghanaian tax payer.

The inquiries must unearth the circumstances that led to the air lifting of $3.5 million to be paid as appearance fees of the Black Stars. The FPG also wants a determination into the roles all the 75 officials played.

We must not continue to allow the resources of the state to be misappropriated by officials who have been entrusted with responsibilities.

Many of our health and educational institutions as well as statutory payments such as GETFUND, NHIS, Common Fund and public sector workers are staved of financial resources while corrupt officers shamelessly continue to dissipate our resources with rampant abandon.

We hereby call for a bi partisan parliamentary inquiry into all these allegations to know what really transpired in Brazil and the prosecution of all the state officials whose corrupt and shameless activities caused the state to loose huge amount of money at the FIFA World Cup Finals in Brazil. Thank you.

Signed: · Adam Badaru , President (0243386040) · Joseph Nana Kofi Akomeah, Gen. Sec. (024 602 8182) · Clement Tino Adu, P.R.O (024 923 1158)