Scandal: Who brokered GNPC sponsorship deal for Black Stars?

Accra, April 3, GNA – A private firm, West Head Company has claimed brokering a lucrative sponsorship deal involving the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for the Ghana Football Association (GFA).

The sponsorship deal worth a reported $3 million annually, for three-years will see the state agency responsible for the exploration, licensing and distribution of petroleum related activities replacing mining firm, Goldfields Ghana Limited (GGL), as headline sponsors of the senior national team.

The GGL partnership with the GFA is expected to run out anytime soon but the mining firm has already expressed their unwillingness to continue with the $1.5 million-a-year marriage with the Black Stars. GGL’s sponsorship with the Black Stars lasted a near seven years from an initial $1.2 million in 2005.

In a bizarre twist like the infamous Mid-Sea palaver that headlined the sponsorship deal of telecommunications outfit, Glo Mobile Ghana with the GFA; GNA Sports has gathered that West Head are not the brokers of the deal.

A highly placed source at the GNPC told GNA Sports that the State agency opted to sponsor the Black Stars as part of its corporate social responsibility.

The source, also a Board member of the corporation said he invited officials of the GFA for discussions on the deal and has not dealt with any said third party called West Head.

He expressed surprised at the claim by the private firm, whose share holders surprisingly serve on some Standing Committees of the GFA.

The Directors of West Head according to information gathered by GNA Sports are Aloysius Denkabe (Chairman, Referees Committee), Joseph Yaw Appiah (Member, Black Queens Management Committee) and Owuahene Acheampong (Member, FA Cup Committee and Black Satellites Management Committee).

Like Mid Sea, West Head will be entitled to 25-percent of the sponsorship package; 15-percent agency fee and other 10-percent for administrative fee, totaling in excess of $2 million for the total duration of the contract.

With GNPC dismissing claims of the existence of a third-party regarding the deal, it is however not known the destination of the over $2 million when the deal is finalized.

When contacted, Denkabe confirmed to GNA Sports his shareholder role in West Head Company as well as Acheampong and Appiah.

With his other portfolio as Chief Executive Officer, Dr Denkabe, also a lecturer at the University of Ghana confirmed of being the initiator of the sponsorship deal after preliminary discussions with his friend who works at the GNPC.

He rejected claims of a ‘conflict of interest’ regarding his involvement and that of his two colleagues, insisting they are not members of the GFA Congress which constitutes the highest decision making organ of the football governing body.

Denkabe was the immediate past representative of the Constituent Bodies on the GFA Executive Committee, Owuahene from Ashantigold whilst Appiah has been a long-time representative of Tano Bofoakwa and one-time Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA).
This development further tarnishes the fading image of the GFA with several controversies marring the current administration.

Meanwhile, GNPC look set to be named as headline sponsors of the GFA in the ensuing days.