The formation of the FIFA Normalization Committee (FIFA NC) for the Ghana Football Associaton (GFA)– on September 14 – is greeted with diverse opinion as some Ghanaians question why this and that person was appointed or not appointed whilst others have raised competency issues but it is also spreading into a new ground, very tricky ground, that of party politics.
It is what it is. The criticisms, as expected, both acceptable and unacceptable ones, against the FIFA NC and their functions just started and this is one of the hardest obstacles the Kofi Amoah-led committee will have to deal with in the next six months.
The public inspection of them just began and if Dr. Kofi Amoah, Mrs. Lucy Quist, Lawyer Naa Odofoley Nortey and Lawyer Duah Adonteng are going to succeed, they will need to have FOCUS. Because a committee that lacks focus cannot bring sanity and reforms to a football nation where about 80 match referees and 3 Executive committee members were caught on hidden camera in damning, compromising, disreputable, dishonest and corrupt circumstances.
First to speak on this delicate tangent is Techiman Eleven Wonders senior official Takyi Arhin affectionately known as “Thunder” who has expressed a strong censure of the FIFA NC members.
Takyi Arhin
By careful analysis of his statements one could classify Arhin’s scathing critique against the FIFA NC into two categories. The first one is acceptable criticism and the other is not acceptable.
“Lucy Quist, Naa Odofoley what is their knowledge in football to be appointed onto this committee?” Thunder quizzed.
“People like Rabby Abbey and Lawyer Ntow Fianko are more qualified for this assignment than those we see now” he said.
“If the sports ministry had done wider consultations, this would not have been the members of the normalisation committee they would have suggested to FIFA” the outspoken Arhin told Metro FM.
This is acceptable criticism since it is his right to have the opinion that members of the committee should have strong football knowledge and experience. He also has the right to make opinion on potential candidates that could have been considered and for that he mentioned names of Randy Abbey and Ntow Fianko.
But what is not acceptable censure follows suit.
“Lucy Quist, for instance, is on the committee on someone’s ticket. I know this for a fact and I have documents to back what I’m saying” he said to Metro FM. It is not acceptable because Arhin hasn’t presented any evidence publicly to back this assertion.
“Almost all the members of the Normalisation committee belong to the same political background.” Mr.Arhin said on Accra-located Asempa FM.
“Nothing good will come out of this committee (FIFA normalisation committee). I don’t trust them to do a good job at all” he added.
“Lawyer Duah Adonten is the only brighter spot on the Normalisation Committee, the rest are just adding up. I mean its job for the boys” Takyi Arhin said.
It is not enough for one to disapprove a body on the apparent grounds of their perceived political affiliation especially when he hasn’t proven there is a grand scheme behind the appointment of these members to work for the sole interest of the said political party in question against the overall interest of Ghana football.
Takyi Arhin is an experienced figure at the top level of Ghana football administration spanning over the last 20 years having worked for such clubs like Berekum Arsenal, B.A Stars, and Eleven Wonders among others and knows exactly what he should and should not utter.
Again as someone whose political coloration is publicly known as the Brong Ahafo regional vice chairman of the National Democratic Congress and for his experience he should’ve been a bit diplomatic.
Gariba.
