Why are we doing this to ourselves?
Why are we doing this to ourselves, the current noise over alleged bribe payments by Ghana to ensure qualification over our African group opponents for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil?
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We find it difficult to tell the motivation for such spurious allegations such as bribery going viral in the media.
We do not intend to repeat the said allegations here, but suffice it to note that the reference is being made to the effect that those things happened in the Black Stars’ qualifying matches against the Pharaohs of Egypt, among other opponents.
For many of those making the allegations, a purported leakage at the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) is their source of reference, quoting profusely figures that run into several thousands of cedis.
We wonder how a source at the MOYS could be that irresponsible as to be painting the entire nation and its senior national soccer team in such a negative light.
But the counter-argument is that it could be the figment of the imagination of those leaking such documents that bribery was intended during such matches since, among the items approved in the particular budget, was one captured under “Unclassified and Indemnity Payments”.
Indeed, the Report on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry after the 2014 World Cup fiasco almost slipped into that line of thinking that unclassified and indemnity payments should not be included in future budgets of the national teams.
But the government was quick to state in its White Paper that it “does not accept the recommendation that unclassified payments for protocol purposes, which cannot be officially accounted for, should not be included in the budget, since all budget line items should be accounted for”.
“Members of the football fraternity are aware that unforeseen and unanticipated, and yet unavoidable and inevitable payments, are a necessary concomitant of the game (of football) at the competitive level,” it stressed.
We can’t agree more with the government’s position in the White Paper, which has since become law and which should be an important guide to all members of the football fraternity and in all dealings of the national teams.
It is true that for purposes of mischief and in the name of protocol management teams and ministerial officials may be tempted to have their budgets padded to be raked into their private pockets.
And that is why the White Paper further directed that “while such ‘unclassified’ payments may be included in the budget line, their utilisation must be strictly controlled and must be confirmed by the issuance of ‘Honour Certificates’ by the officials entrusted with their utilisation”.
It is, therefore, pathetic to hear that leakages from ministerial sources point to the allegation that we bribed our way to the Brazil World Cup fiesta two years ago, given budget documents on our African group qualifiers.
We believe that those peddling these allegations know what the consequences for the country’s football in the international arena will be if FIFA decides to take Ghana to the cleaners.
It is a crying shame that past appointees to the Sports Ministry appear indicted by these allegations, which also go to tarnish the image of the entire country and particularly the government under which they served.
