Conflict of Interest at GHALCA

The incidence of conflict of interest, which has blighted the landscape of Ghana football in recent times has for the umpteenth time, reared its ugly head, this time in the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) where clubs are fuming over a contract, awarded a company represented locally by the chairman of GHALCA.

The multi-million cedi contract, which was for the provision of soccer kits, including footballs, shin guards, hose etc, to be distributed to GHALCA members, last year, was never placed on open tender and was virtually given as a dash to the England-based company, Mitre Inc.

Mr. J.Y. Appiah, the man in the eye of the storm, virtually contrived to award the contract to Mitre Inc., even though his colleagues at GHALCA knew him as the local representative of Mitre Inc. Chronicle learnt that the price quotations were higher than what pertained on the international market. Mr. Appiah, however, told the Chronicle last Saturday that he won the contract in his capacity as Executive Member of Ghalca and not as Chairman.

According to him “the contract was open to other bids but won it fairly without pulling any strings.” He confirmed supplying kits for the association but said he stopped when he assumed the seat of Ghalca Chairman, adding that he received similar offers but declined because of his new position.

Even though all efforts were made to keep the scandal under wraps, Chronicle can reveal that some members of GHALCA who claim they never benefited from the deal, have sworn to blow the lid on the scandal. Some have even threatened calling for a probe. Some also claim they have never received any of the kits even though they were said to have been distributed to all Premier, First and Second division league clubs.

“Most of the clubs are yet to receive their allocation after all this while. We know some of our people tried in the past to kill this information but we would never let it die until a probe is ordered,” a well-placed source told the Chronicle. Sources confirmed to the Chronicle that the matter went to the General Assembly of the association but was referred to the highest decision making body of Ghalca, the Executive Council for the necessary action.

According to sources, the Executive council set up a committee to probe the matter but up till now, the report, as related to the Mitre deal, has not been made public. Last year, the government of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in response to calls from the media ordered a probe into the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of the Accra and Kumasi stadia and the provision of seats for both stadia.

Both contracts were awarded to companies linked to leading members of then Ghana Football Association (GFA), Messrs. Sam Brew-Butler and Joseph Kwabena Ade Coker. The report of the Tagoe Committee upheld the media’s complaint of the existence of conflict of interest and called for future contracts to be scrutinised. Ade Coker, who was Ghalca’s representative on the GFA, was voted out of office by his colleagues in Ghalca..