You are here: HomeSports2018 04 19Article 644421

Sports News of Thursday, 19 April 2018

Source: peacefmonline.com

Sports Ministry needs total overhaul; Minister, Deputy at loggerheads - Kweku Baako

Senior Journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has made some shocking revelations about certain happenings incidents at the Ministry of Youth and Sports that preceded the suspension of the Deputy Sports Minister Pius Enam Hadzide.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, last week suspended the Deputy Sports Minister as well as the Director General of the National Sports Authority Robert Sarfo Mensah over their alleged involvement in the registration of fake names to this year’s Commonwealth Games at Australia.

Sixty (60) Ghanaians who claimed to be journalists were arrested by Australian authorities and deported to Ghana for allegedly making attempts to enter Australia by false pretence in the 21st Commonwealth Games.

"The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, 12th April, 2018, suspended from office, with immediate effect, the Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide; and the acting Director General of the National Sports Authority, Hon. Robert Sarfo Mensah. This decision has been taken following preliminary investigations conducted into the circumstances that led to the arrest of some sixty (60) Ghanaians, who had allegedly attempted to enter Australia by false pretences, in the on-going 21st Commonwealth Games”, a statement from the Presidency dated 12th April, 2018 read.

But there appears to be more to the issue than meets the eye as the Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide disclosed on Kokrokoo on Peace FM Wednesday that there’s been friction at the hierarchy of the Sports Ministry.



He stated categorically that the Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah and his suspended Deputy were at “loggerheads”, prior to the infamous Australian incident.

Kweku Baako recounted that before the suspension of the Deputy Sports Minister, a preliminary investigation had been conducted and apparently, a report which was at the behest of Sector Minister, was sent to the Presidency which may have informed the decision of the President to suspend his Deputy.

He further told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that per the report he is privy to regarding the issue, the Ministry is a “disaster zone”.

“Right at the Ministry, at the very top, there’s some little conflict. There’s some friction [at the] very top. Yes, I think they’ve been at loggerheads”.

He therefore called for an overhaul of the entire Ministry and also asked the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service to “fast-track” their investigations to ascertain the truth.

“…what is it that’s hidden in that Ministry? Maybe we need an overhaul; a total overhaul…It’s a disaster zone; this country, when it comes to Sports”, Mr. Baako stressed.