Term limits and Nyantakyi’s pledge

As an ardent follower of social and political issues and events worldwide, one thing that I always have a problem with especially in political governance, is when leaders elected into office stay there for a long time particularly because of their insatiable taste for power.

Leadership is not possession. As I argued last Tuesday, some African leaders and their counterparts in third world countries often think of themselves as indispensable and that in their absence, nothing can be done. Thus if they are not disregarding constitutional dictates and amending laws that give them specific term limits, they will be rigging elections basically to elongate their grip of power.

But no matter how hard it is for power-drunk leaders either in politics or sports to bow out, time makes it possible for their tenure to end and after that, lessons are learnt sometimes through reforms. Since I turned 12 years and began following socio-political events, I have seen only two FIFA Presidents – the Brazilian Jean-Marie Faustin Godefroid "João" de Havelange and Swiss – Joseph Sepp Blatter.

Havelange, a lawyer, businessman and former athlete reigned for 24years. He served as the 7th FIFA President from 1974 to 1998 being the second longest FIFA President in history. In fact, Havelange comes only behind Jules Rimet. Then there has been Sepp Blatter who after being re-elected recently, returned to announce that, he would be stepping down amidst bribery and corruption allegations.

Blatter’s end as FIFA President is months away but he’s been the head of FIFA since June 1998. Had it not been for his resignation, Blatter would have spent at least 20 years in office by 2018 and given my appreciation of democratic governance relative to elections and term limits, I have never understood why FIFA Presidents don’t rule with term limits especially in this era.

I agree that, in the case of FIFA, the argument has neither been about the President of the world football governing body overstaying in office nor has it been about him ignoring constitutional provisions. The argument has been about him not having term limits and that, in the case of a well-respected international organization operating in a modern day democratic setting, is unacceptable.

It doesn’t matter if FIFA isn’t alone in that scenario. The point is that, FIFA should embrace term limits for its President. That is why I find Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kwesi Nyantakyi’s pledge to lead the campaign for term-limit reforms appropriate. The term-limit issue has come up before but it was rejected. Now it appears a new wind is blowing and it could eventually lead to it being accepted.

On June 11 this year, the Brazilian Confederation of Football (CBF) after rejections in the past, voted to accept “a maximum of two four-year terms for its Presidents starting with elections in 2019”. Sepp Blatter has himself been talking about reforms which may include setting term limits for future FIFA President and just last Tuesday at the Tamale extraordinary Congress which handed him a new term of office, our FA President said he would be an advocate for term limits at the next FIFA Congress.

“Regarding specific reforms like term limits, I have no objection to that. The FIFA Congress in Sao Paolo and Zurich considered it and it was rejected and this time round most people have seen the need to re-introduce that and I will lead the crusade or campaign for such reforms to be introduced at FIFA, CAF and even at our national association level” said the GFA President.

It has to be pointed out that, setting term limits for football association’s presidents will not necessarily ensure an FA’s or indeed FIFA’s success. But the point has to be made that, in an era where advocacy groups have been imploring governments worldwide to introduce and respect democratic tenets regarding elections and term limits for example, an organization like FIFA should be first to adhere to the term limit advice.

Isn’t it ironic that, FIFA, (headquartered in Switzerland and with 209 member countries, most of whom have democratically elected governments with specific term-limits) govern countries whose governments exit after defined time-lines? The time for term limits to be set for future FIFA Presidents is now. 

Pre and post Nyantakyi endorsement…

GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi

It’s easy to be misled by our media, especially by the overzealous, often ignorant sports and political broadcasters on FM stations. It’s neither that, those broadcasters are bad nor is it that, they aren’t worth listening to. Some of them are good but my observation is that, if you don’t carefully pick which ones to listen to and which ones to ignore, you risk being deceived.  

I have learnt that, many of these broadcasters who mount radio platforms to launch verbal tirades against authorities can’t be taken seriously and they freely have social media to ply their trade in cases where radio wouldn’t allow them. These are individuals who fanatically pursue an agenda against people or systems and whether productive or not, they vigorously pursue it.

I saw a lot of that within a year or more to the endorsement of Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kwesi Nyantakyi in Tamale. So much was said about why Kwesi Nyantakyi needed to be booted out to “save” Ghana football from a supposed collapse. If you listened to any of these broadcasters, you would assume Kwesi Nyantakyi was plain evil and corrupt.  

News reports – at best, rumours of would-be contestants against Nyantakyi filled the airwaves every week. Some even called for Nyantakyi’s resignation – something which wasn’t going to happen. Citing instances from Nigeria but ignorantly overlooking the consequent chaos that could bring, Nyantakyi’s strong critics appealed to the government to forcefully remove him.

Those calls didn’t get to government quarters. If they did, no government adviser, relying on the most simplistic political wisdom, was going to urge the Mahama-led government to forcibly remove Nyantakyi from office. So the campaign to get Nyantakyi ousted continued. More corruption allegations – mostly unsubstantiated – were leveled against him as if to suggest that, he and his “corrupt cohorts” were to be jailed on the strength of unproven media allegations.

I’m not against media allegations backed by facts. I am however not for the practice where, we in the media, with considerable power and influence, propagate stories we can’t defend in the court of law. It’s high time we put hardcore evidence of corruption by our football people before the police for proper investigations and prosecution.

Well, back to the Nyantakyi endorsement, nominations opened and no credible candidate could eventually put up against him. Interestingly, the absence of a credible candidate was also blamed on the FA President. He was accused of “intimidating” the football people not to endorse the candidature of anybody, creating the impression that, the football people have no minds of their own.

How sad that, the intelligence and dignity of football people are insulted as if they are all stooges. That attitude of calling our football people names without any correct basis portends danger for our football more than Kwesi Nyantakyi. Now, Nyantakyi has been given another four-year term. He was always going to have it as long as he contested and that is a reality his avowed critics refused to see even in broad day light. 

I don’t believe Nyantakyi has completely changed the face of Ghana football in his decade rule. My big problem is, there has been an overconcentration of his administration on the Black Stars to the detriment of domestic football. I keep saying that, with the kind of clout Kwesi Nyantakyi has, it is within his reach and power to do far more than he has done for domestic football but that gives me no right to call his integrity and sense of reasoning into question.

In his address after being endorsed, he said a number of things, which I wouldn’t be swayed by yet if there’s anything I would want him to do among other things, as he begins another term, it is the kind of attention his administration has paid to domestic football. His administration should critically look at the local game, which isn’t dying but rather needs serious attention.

Our local leagues need better care in the area of organization, regulation, marketing and promotion. At the end of Kwesi Nyantakyi’s new term, local football enthusiasts like me would like to credit him with something more than the shine he has given to the Black Stars and if that would happen, it would be dependent on what new things he brings on board this time. 

Respect for Abra Appiah…

PLB Boss, Welbeck Abra Appiah

In this part of the world, it is so rare to find leaders on their own accord leaving important positions they have occupied for a considerable length of time. If they don’t cling to power in office until old-age catches up on them, they are often forced out. Their good deeds and the fine principles with which they came to office and their achievements are often ruined by the ills associated with their stubborn grip of power.

This is common especially in politics. Governments hang onto power either by cunningly altering term limits or disregarding agreed constitutional dictates. Politics in Africa and generally third-world countries is replete with stories of such obstinate power-drunks.

Outside politics, particularly in sports and African football for that matter, there are many examples of leaders who stay in office till eternity. That is why I was excited last Thursday, when I read news stories indicating that, Premier League Board (PLB) Chairman, Welbeck Abra Appiah has announced that, he would voluntarily vacate his post when the 2014/15 season ends.

“Yes, I’ll step down at the end of the season. It’s been 10 years and I think it’s time for me to allow someone to continue… I guess anyone interested should start lobbying for the position. It’s not been all gloomy as others want us to believe. We have chalked some successes and at the appropriate time, we’ll make the necessary disclosure” Abra Appiah was quoted as saying.

Without any flattery, I say Abra Appiah is of a different breed. His kind is rare. While I won’t draw comparisons which potentially could be misconstrued to impugn the integrity of others, I would want to use this space to applaud Abra Appiah for showing that, there are still leaders in Ghana and Africa who know and believe that, holding onto power for too long isn’t helpful.

Not that, Abra Appiah has been incompetent. It isn’t that he can’t continue with the work but he believes he has served well enough. This is the time for him to leave for “someone to continue”. That’s the type of leaders Africa needs – not those who hang on to power even when indications are clear that, bowing out gracefully would be helpful to them and the people they came to serve.

I have been admiring Abra Appiah from a distance. I have for all the period he has been around liked him and his seeming disciplinarian posture and his constant insistence on doing the right thing. I have on few occasions met and interacted with him but our phone conversations have been many.

Abra Appiah comes across as a decent, open-minded man. I respect him. I borrow part of Burning Spear’s lyrics in his song, “This Man” to once say again: “I respect him”. As he alluded to in that quote from an interview he reportedly granted Atinka FM, the time will come for his tenure to be thoroughly assessed. I guess that will be when he appropriately and finally quits.

I want to believe Abra Appiah will leave the PLB post – not necessarily the Ghana Football Association. By then, it would be prudent to critically evaluate his term as Chairman of the PLB for a decade. What he achieved and what he wasn’t able to achieve would be looked at. 

Even before that time comes, I agree with him in totality that, it hasn’t been all gloomy for his administration. He definitely must have brought some transformation and talk about that will presently be shelved. I will only trek on Abra Appiah’s passion to see the local league being promoted to conclude that, we do ourselves greater harm with the continuous bastardization of our Premier League especially by people in the media who should know better.

Commentaries that, the Ghanaian league is in shambles – a state of disorganization – only denigrate the competition in the eyes of the corporate groups we want to court. It’s easy to overlook the gains made by our league especially when you aren’t so aware of where we were.

It’s indeed cheap to assume that, our league is the worst you can find. We are so fond of measuring the standards here without taking into consideration the living standards in the country. That isn’t fair and explains why we come to such hasty, harsh conclusions. I will return to this subject in future, God willing. For now, I doff my hat to Mr. Abra Appiah for his honourable decision. He has done a lot for Ghana football. 

Black Stars winning bonus debate

It looks like issues relative to the senior national team, the Black Stars and their winning bonuses wouldn’t die down soon. From the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into what happened in Brazil till today; the Black Stars and their money issues continue to dominate news headlines.

I don’t see these headlines taking the back stage until perhaps the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and entire country exhaustively discuss and agree on what appears to be a thorny issue.

Elsewhere matters concerning financial reward for players of the national football team won’t generate the kind of debate ours have generated for over a year now but in a country where decisive leadership continues to be absent; in a country where most people and in fact, the ordinary folk see those with political power and authority as corrupt and insensitive; in a country where money appears to be the only thing even kids think about; this shouldn’t be surprising.

There’s no doubt that, most of us are passionate about football. Football is the passion of the nation and we’re usually obsessed about the Black Stars. Until recently when many became indifferent to the Black Stars, there was always high enthusiasm when the Black Stars arrived and were about to either play a home game or participate in a competition.

Ghanaians love their Black Stars but Ghanaians are also sensible people who won’t accept anything just because they are obsessed about it. That’s why there was resentment among Black Stars admirers when the team disappointingly allowed money to ruin their ambition at the last FIFA World Cup.

Revelations at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PIC) worsened the anger towards the team but time heals the most painful of wounds. With time, the hostility many had shown to the Black Stars subsided – making way for the return of Ghanaians’ intense love for the team.

The White Paper the PCI’s report plus details of the report itself made publicised by the media caused an uproar but in my view it didn’t lead to disillusionment against the Black Stars since the government’s white paper and the commission’s report didn’t seem to have conclusively established what went wrong in Brazil and how to avoid it in future.

That explains why there’s no finality to the winning bonus-issue of the Black Stars. Last week, some stories indicated that, the Black Stars will now be paid US$5,000 each as winning bonus. In a country like ours, where practically everybody that works in the government sector has gone on strike in the last two or three years in search of better working conditions; US$5,000 each for players of the Black Stars is reasonably good coming from state coffers.

After all, what the Black Stars do for the nation can be termed as national service. The pride that come with rendering that service should be compensating enough. It’s however sad and shameful to observe that, the pride and honour of representing one’s country at international football events no long exist in most of our players. 

I wouldn’t blame the players that much because the very people who should have imbibed civic and nationalistic feelings in the players sadly seek money first when they travel with the team. Why will the players be any different in that case? Most leaders – not just in our football arena but in virtually every sector of life in Ghana do not serve with the objective of making Ghana better.

They serve with the aim of selfishly lining their pockets; taking home “something” for their families so again, why would anybody working with or under these leaders be any different? I have no problem with the slash of Black Stars players’ bonuses except to argue that, the decision to reduce it shouldn’t be unilateral. If it’s the players who wouldn’t be invited (for obvious reasons) to negotiate; the GFA ought to be consulted.

It’s the GFA that has been mandated to manage Ghana football. They actually manage the Black Stars. Any decision on the Black Stars’ winning bonus that doesn’t take into cognizance the GFA’s stance could lead to petty and avoidable problems. The team should be spared any rancour over money.

Please, let’s get serious and real

Captain, Amos Frimpong in action. 

The past week has seen Kotoko fans calling anybody they deem fit to find out what has been happening to their great club lately. A lot of the calls I have received for example was obviously triggered by the shocking 3-0 home defeat to Berekum Chelsea and the subsequent 1-0 away loss to West Africa Football Academy otherwise known as WAFA.

I could hardly offer straightforward answers to many of the questions I was asked by my Kotoko friends on the team’s poor results. However, overtime, because I have developed an aversion  for people who are quick to assign spiritual reasons to explain Kotoko’s non-performance, I had trouble with some people.

I upset a few people with my abhorrence for any talk that centred on juju. I don’t deny the existence of spiritual forces and their power but with my conviction is that football has long assumed scientific dimensions so much so that we simply deceive ourselves to blame Kotoko's woes on unseen spiritual forces.

Imagine some people arguing so strongly that, Kotoko haven't done well lately in Kumasi because of some rituals performed by certain individuals at the stadium and that, until goats, sheep and bullocks were slaughtered at the home venue, the team’s recent dip in performance would continue.

How can that be? Why should some think like that in this era, where clubs without the pedigree of Kotoko are resorting to good management practices to achieve success of various kinds? The other time at the club’s secretariat an elderly man, apparently a Kotoko fan, came with the story that, the Porcupines have been bewitched and that, he knew a man of God who could deliver the players through intensive fasting and prayers.

A management member patiently listened to his story and politely thanked him for his advice.  Do we know what would happen to the team if management were to act on all the spiritual directions they are given anytime the team begins to underperform? This is football; we can’t bank on superstition.

Another time too, a gentleman wielding a Bible visited the Kotoko secretariat. He was given audience and his story was no different from the usual tales we've always heard. I'm not ruling out the fact, in a dark, satanic world such as ours, an organization could have spiritual problems. I am also not contending that, individuals in an institution can’t be spiritually attacked for whatever reason.

I'm only saying that, football's problems – particularly the type Kotoko and Hearts recently face are neither solved with Bibles or juju nor are they eliminated by pastors and prophets. The problems, if any, are solved with big, real ideas; deep-thinking, proper planning, visionary leadership; money and a wide range of resources; patience, transparency and the strong resolve to achieve the best regardless of the obstacles that will come your way.

Nobody in the current management structure of Kotoko doubts the existence of spirits and whatever influence they have so the protagonists can undertake any intervention they think fit on behalf of management as they sit back and think to find practical answers to the team’s non-performance.

This isn’t the time to discuss the often over-stated issues of philosophy, structures and comprehensive development agenda for Kotoko. I’ve always held that, club football in Ghana is faced with basic problems and not until there's an honest admission of that, we can't do much to change the situation. Isn't it a wonder that the nation biggest clubs, Kotoko and Hearts are experiencing virtually the same problems?

And who says it's only these two clubs that are suffering? Almost all the Premier League and lower division clubs in the country have dire structural problems affecting their development but their near state of collapse do not attract wide media attention. This is the time for all of us with love for local football to be real and serious with modern trends of the game.

We aren’t doing much to improve our lot. We seem to have stuck to archaic and unproductive methods of club administration. That accounts for some of the mess we've seen. I am afraid the situation will remain the same if we don't change. How I wish the real issues or the plight of local football would engage the minds of congressmen at the next GFA's Congress.

FA Cup: Win against Ashgold will calm nerves

If there’s one game whose result could briefly repair the gradually wearing confidence most Kotoko supporters have in Coach David Duncan and the team, it’s Wednesday’s MTN FA Cup quarter final clash against Ashgold at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.

Three discomfiting losses in the league, out of which Kotoko have scored six goals and conceded 10; have ruffled nerves with many fans criticizing the team for poor form. But in Wednesday's fierce encounter, the gloominess that has clothed the supporters’ hearts could dissipate easily if Coach Duncan and his team apply the brakes on the impressive Ashgold.

As a knockout game, Kotoko have no way dreaming of an FA Cup progress if they don’t win. That firmly explains why Kotoko must win at all cost. In the league, Ashgold have assumed the top position of the table from match day one. They now have taken what pundits are accepting as an unassailable lead. But that’s in the league, where indeed, they beat Kotoko 2-1 at Obuasi.

There can be no better means of signaling to Ashgold that, defeat awaits them in the return league fixture apart from dumping them out of the FA Cup. Victory for Kotoko will also end Coach Bashir Hayford and his team’s double dream. How Kotoko motivate themselves to brutally fight Ashgold and win remains Coach Duncan’s biggest task.

Beating Ashgold is not beyond Coach Duncan and his team. There is hope that, Kotoko will be victorious given the kind of resilience they exhibited when they engaged Great Olympics in Accra and won 3-2 last Wednesday. Kotoko’s determination to shut Great Olympics’ quest of winning that particular game was authenticated by their fight for a third goal after the home team equalized.

Thus, the 3-2 win offers a pillar based on which Kotoko fans can hang their hope, that, Ashgold will not survive. That hope notwithstanding, Kotoko must be careful of careless mistakes especially in defence since the confident Ashgold team could be deadly if gifted with cheap scoring opportunities.

The stakes are very high. Ashgold come into the game confidently. Kotoko must shirk any bad feeling resulting from the defeat to Liberty Professionals in Accra to redeem themselves in the knockout competition. The Porcupines can do it. They must ignore any condemnation from their angry fans and go all out to fight for triumph. A win certainly will calm nerves.

Accra mission not exactly fulfilled

Amed Toure scored Kotoko's only goal at Dansoman.

I had anticipated six out of six. In the worst case scenario, I felt it could be four out of six.

But it turned out to be three out of six points as Liberty Professionals handed Asante Kotoko their third defeat in the second round of the 2014/15 First Capital Plus Premier League.

 Sunday’s loss marked the Porcupines’ second 3-1 away defeat since the second half of the season opened. Kotoko stormed Accra last Tuesday hopeful of winning their two league matches – first against Great Olympics at the Accra Sports Stadium and afterwards, Liberty Professionals at the Carl Reindorf Park, Dansoman.

I wrote in a preview of the two games last Tuesday that, Kotoko could earn all six points at stake in the Accra mission or at worst, they could bag four points. I had expected at least a drawn game at Dansoman.

Following proceedings of the Liberty encounter from my cold room at Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria, South Africa; I was delighted to see the live Twitter update, which reported that, Amed Toure shot Kotoko in the lead as early as the 8th minute. That was impressive.

Knowing Liberty Professionals and how organised they are particularly at Dansoman, where they haven’t lost in the last six matches, I prayed that, Kotoko either doubled their slim lead or held on to it tightly. That appeared to be a task quite difficult to execute as the fabulous lads lost ground 13 minutes later with Liberty equalizing after a defensive mix-up.

It’s heartbreaking that Kotoko have lost three of four matches since the second round of the league started. It’s even disappointing that, as defending champions, Kotoko are progressively losing their grip of the title. Ashgold, I admit, are increasingly fortifying their resolve to win the title.

Ashgold have 37 points. That’s 12 more than what Kotoko have. In purely football sense, it’s isn’t out of place to suggest that, Kotoko can catch-up and dream of overthrowing Ashgold. However, the reality is that, Kotoko will not be able to cut down Ashgold’s sovereign lead if those poor results don’t stop.

I’m an optimist. I haven’t lost hope. I’m of the conviction that, Kotoko will soon come within the top four rank but the team must buck-up. I can’t say much about the match against Olympics and Liberty because I wasn’t at the venues.

I however commend Kotoko’s fighting spirit in the Olympics game, which ensured their 3-2 win but I’m frightened by the ease with which the team concedes goals. Conceding 10 goals and scoring six in four matches speaks badly of the strength of the team defensively. The reported miscommunication between goalie, Ofori Antwi and Eric Donkor which offered Liberty the opportunity to equalize is inexcusable.

It is shocking that Kotoko have conceded 10 goals in four matches. The ball is directly in Coach David Duncan’s court. He must halt the leakage. Coach Duncan has the inevitable duty of applying the right medicine to stop the hemorrhage.

On Wednesday, June 24, Kotoko will play Ashgold in the quarter final of the FA Cup in Kumasi. The next league game is also at home to Bechem United on Sunday, June 28. I won’t dwell on the FA Cup match. I have adequately written on that in another article. I will stay on Kotoko’s league form and encourage the team to beat Bechem United, who are a point richer than Kotoko on the league table.

Bechem United was the team, Coach David Duncan first beat in the league when he was appointed in March. If every team is winning at home, Kotoko must also win at home. After Kotoko trounced Lions 4-0 in the first round in Kumasi; the Kpando team, learnt their lessons to thrash Kotoko 3-1 at home. Every team takes advantage of its home grounds. Kotoko must do that too!

Kotoko proved stronger than Olympics in Accra and Liberty demonstrated that, they are supreme at Dansoman. Kotoko have no business dropping guard against Bechem United.

The awful experience of losing in Kumasi must not repeat itself against Bechem on Sunday.