President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kwesi Nyantakyi has lately been caught in the middle of several controversies.
Kwesi Nyantakyi who has been in charge of the GFA for 13 years has faced several corruption allegations in relation to Ghana football, though he consistently refutes the claims that there is corruption in Ghana Football.
However, President Akufo-Addo’s order for the arrest of the GFA president on May 22, 2018, appears to validate the assertion that there is corruption in the institution headed by Kwesi Nyantakyi.
Deputy Chief of Staff, Abu Jinarpo disclosed that Kwesi Nyantakyi was caught on camera engaging in influence peddling in the name of the President and other key government officials in the latest expose by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Below are 5 major controversies that have characterized Kwesi Nyantakyi's 13-year reign.
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1. Mid Sea controversy (2010)
 In 2008, the GFA signed a 15-million-dollar sponsorship agreement with telecommunications giants GLO. The deal involved a 15%(reduced to 10%) payment to Mid Sea, the company that brokered the deal, but it was revealed the said company did not exist. The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) subsequently raided the offices of the GFA in search of evidence of fraud. Till date, nobody has been prosecuted.
2. West Head controversy (2012)
In 2012, GNPC signed a 3-year deal to sponsor the Black Stars under the auspices of the GFA. GNPC was paying $3 million annually to the national team as part of its sponsorship package. It was later reported that a third party company, WEST HEAD, brokered the said deal and were entitled to agency fees. Then Board Chairman of GNPC, Ato Ahwoi, denied the claims and said the decision to sponsor the Black Stars was purely the company’s and that no such 3rd party was involved.Â
3. Co-efficient payments (2014)
 During the Dzamefe Commission sittings, it was revealed Nyantakyi shared an amount of $557,000 among seven management committee members of the GFA, including his former vice, Jordan Anagblah, who had passed away a few months before the World Cup. Kwesi Nyantakyi also revealed other people benefited from the money and when queried on how they determined who earned how much, Nyantakyi said they calculated it using a coefficient of 7.
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}4. ‘Rigged’ friendly matches (2014)
British newspaper The Telegraph and Channel 4, in June 2014, accused the GFA and Kwesi Nyantakyi of being involved in some shady deals to fix international friendly matches for the senior national football team, the Black Stars. The newspaper claimed that “the President of Ghana’s Football Association agreed for the team to play in international matches that others were prepared to rig.†World football governing body, FIFA, referred the matter back to the GFA’s Ethics Committee after its preliminary investigation but announced it would “continue to monitor the investigations and any future proceedings.†The Ethics Committee eventually cleared Kwesi Nyantakyi, of any wrongdoing.
5. Defrauding by false pretence (2018)
The latest scandal which is arguably the most expensive one ever which has pushed the President to order his arrest. Deputy Chief of Staff, Abu Jinapor confirmed that the GFA Boss was the subject of an investigation by the CID after the President watched portions of Anas Aremeyaw Anas' latest expose.
According to Abu Jinapor, Kwesi Nyantakyi was captured trying to secure investments in the name of the President, Vice President and other key government officials.
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}It was also revealed in the Anas' video that Kwesi Nyantakyi solicited for $8 million for himself, $5 million for Nana Addo and $3 million for Bawumia.
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