Even before he settles at his new post at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, which has been described by many pundits as the hottest ministry in the country, Mahama Ayariga is already goofing, and doing so very badly.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku is not only setting up parallel groups to look into Ghana’s shambolic showing at the almost ended 2014 world Cup in Brazil, but he is also wasting scarce resources on an issue, which he has already tasked others to look into and make recommendations.
Few days ago, Mr. Ayariga in a statement, announced the composition of a three-member committee which had Justice Senyo Dzamefa, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, Moses Foh Amoaning, a lawyer and sports administrator and Kofi Anokye Owusu Darko, a banker and sports enthusiast, on a 30-day fact finding mission.
The committee, has five reference points which are “to inquire into matters relating to Ghana’s Black Stars team’s preparation for the tournament and possible lapses therein, which might have caused their early exit from the tournament.
Justice Dzamefe and his colleagues are to inquire into matters relating to the management of the Ghana Black Stars team and events in their camp during the tournament and to inquire into matters relating to Ghana’s treatment of Ghanaian football fans, who were sent to support the senior national team, the Black Stars by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The committee is to advice government on the financing of activities of the Senior National Team and other national teams; and to inquire into all other related matters of public interest, concerning the organization of Ghana’s Black Stars’ participation in the tournament.
Interestingly, even before the Justice Senyo Dzamefe committee starts it work, the Minister in a dramatic manner has constituted an “Eminent Football Administrators” numbering 60, who are to attend a two-day retreat which started on Friday 11 to Saturday, 12 July 2014, at the plush Premier Best Western Hotel in Accra.
The retreat is being organized by the Ministry in association with the embattled Ghana Football Association (GFA) and according to the statement; it is to review the state of the game of football in Ghana and advice on a national strategy.
Strangely, the GFA and its executive led by Kwasi Nyantakyi is a prime witness to appear before the Justice Senyo Dzamefe committee.
The sacked Minister of Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, another key witness, who will also appear before the Justice Senyo Dzamefe committee is also billed as an expert to attend the “Eminent Football Administrators” at the plush Premier Best Western Hotel.
Some watchers have said that though the retreat may be with a good intention, they are worried about its necessity, especially so when the same Minister, has inaugurated a committee to look into the same football matter minutes after Parliament also hinted that it was going to setup a body to probe the same Brazil Mundial.
Some have even expressed a desire to have a presidential commission of inquiry, which has the powers to compel or drag people to appear before it to give evidence, while others have accepted the committee somewhat a “wait and see attitude”.
They argue that, if the minister means well as he wants to portray to the rest of the country, he should have waited for the report of the Justice Senyo Dzamef committee, which has just 30 days to complete, so that the administrators can use the recommendations and finding of the committee to organize the retreat.
