The current leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), headed by Kurt Okraku, inherited a debt of about GH¢11, 106 550.00, a manuscript from the association sighted by Joy Sports has revealed.
Out of that, about GH¢316,550 has been paid with GH¢10,790, 040.00 outstanding.
These figures came to light during an Executive Council meeting with Club owners and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) on Friday, Joy Sports sources said.
The disclosure was to let the Clubs appreciate the financial difficulties the leadership of the football governing body in the country met when they came into office.
The breakdown of the figures included money owed to arbitrator of the GFA and Glo impasse, Kizito Beyuo, former Black Stars Coach, Kwasi Appiah, two vehicles purchased in 2017, the land the GFA secretariat is situated, travel and tour agency, Kenpong and many others.
The GFA also captured West Head, an agency that claimed to have brokered the deal between the FA and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), leading to a court battle, as one of the institutions they owe. It said; “West Head – FA’s partnership with the GNPC broker. $14 million being their share / commission.”
This would mean that, the FA’s current debt could quadruple if the court rules in favour of West Head.
For the current broadcast rights holder, StarTimes, the amount owed them was left blank.
The portion read:
“StarTimes –
“Package for the premiership –
“$30,000 to be paid to each Club.”
Joy Sports sources at the former Executive Committee rebuffed these figures, especially, West Head, indicating that, the case is in court and the court has not awarded judgement against the FA. That, they say cannot be captured as a debt.
For that of StarTimes, the season did not end. The Normalisation Committee didn’t allow StarTimes to complete coverage for the rest of the season and the old leadership cannot he held accountable for any losses made during the period there were no football activities.
It emerged that Kwasi Appiah is owed $180,000 including bonuses, $100,000 owed the supplier of the two vehicles ordered from Dubai in 2017, GH¢450,000 including interest accrued for the Secretariat land and GH¢26,000 owed Kenpong for providing airline services to national teams and $35,000 owed to the arbitrator, Kizito Beyuo for the GLO legal tussle. They agreed to pay Kizito $70,000 and $35,000 was paid.
The document also had GH¢1.7 million and GH¢480,000 owed referees and Match Commissioners respectively, with only GH¢300,000 and GH¢16,510 paid to these two bodies.
T.T Ustay, a company engaged to work on the FIFA Goal project at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, is owed GH¢7.6 million including interest, whilst Care Freight Shipping Agency is owed a little over GH¢151,000. A Television set at the lounge of the FA that cost the association GH¢6,000 is also yet to be paid for.
In March 2015, the Accra High Court ordered the GFA and FIFA to pay $253,113.80 or its cedi equivalent to T. T. Ustay Limited, as indemnity in connection with the construction of the Goal Project at Prampram, Joy Sports sources said, but added that, the principal was paid following the court ruling.
However, the interest from September 2004 to the time of conclusion of work, was outstanding.
We gathered that former Secretary-General, Isaac Addo, Lawyer of the FA Thaddeus Sory and then Emergency Committee member, Nanabanyin Eysion engaged T.T UStay for a negotiation on the interest but it was not concluded. Sources say, Kurt Okraku and his team can pursue that option, too.
It is unclear the work done by Freight Shipping Agency to be owed over GH¢151,000.
Checks also discovered that, in 2017, the then Executive Committee approved $150,000 for the purchase of two vehicles from Dubai for the FA President and Coach of the senior national team. It was agreed that the money from Glo would be used to pay for the cars. $100,000 was advanced for the cars from the first tranche of payment made by Glo so the onus was on the current administration to complete payment from the remainder of the Glo money.
It is befuddling that, the FA said the car supplier is owed $100,000 instead of $50,000, sources remarked.
We also assembled facts that showed that the cost of arbitration to Kizito Beyuo, monies owed referees and Match Commissioners accumulated from years the league was played without a sponsor, 2015, 2016 2017.
Part of 2018. Partial payment was made to these three bodies from the $500,000 received from Glo in April 2018.
For the land occupied by the Secretariat, multiple sources denied any knowledge of owing the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), as it was never made known from 2005 till the time the old administration left office abruptly.
The records, however, available shows that the GFA bought the current offices and land in 2003, and at no point were they ever confronted with a debt owed DIC.
Joy Sports understands, the FA hs called for a meeting with DIC next week to further discuss and understand matter.