The hastily organised press conference at which a Deputy Chief of Staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor announced the president had reported the GFA President to the police, breached a confidentiality agreement with journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Senior journalist Abdul Malik Kweku Baako said he has protested government’s decision to make the announcement in the manner it did without first informing the key actors and also in violation of an agreement between the parties.
Abu Jinapor Tuesday announced that President Nana Akufo-Addo had lodged a formal complaint with police over the inappropriate use of his name by Ghana Football Association President, Kwesi Nyantakyi.
Mr Nyantakyi is alleged to have used the name of the President and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia to solicit millions of dollars in bribe, prompting the report to the police for investigations.
According to Kweku Baako, once the president and the vice-president were mentioned by Nyantakyi as potential beneficiaries of bribe money, they had a right to know.
It was to that extent only that the portions of the investigation concerning them were presented to them for viewing.
The presentation, Kweku Baako said on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme, preceded a confidentiality agreement barring the revealing of the content at least until the day, or the day before, the full video was due for screening – June 6, 2018.
The senior journalist said he was surprised, and the BBC shocked, that in spite of this agreement, the presidency without informing either Tiger Eye or the BBC, went to town with the contents of the five-minute video (in respect of the president), and three-minute video (in respect of the Vice-President)
“I have complained to those who called the press conference. I protested and I gave reasons for my protest and I’m told my protests have been made known to the president,” he said.
Nonetheless, “No fatal injury as such has been caused,” he stressed, adding the presidency explained the announcement had to be made because suggestions were being made, especially on social media, that the President and his vice were cited for wrongdoing in the –yet-to-be-aired investigative video.
The presidency insists it was forced to take the step because journalist, Kwami Sefa Kayi, had stated on his Kokrokoo show that the President and his Vice had been mentioned in the investigative video – a statement picked up by social media and spread in a manner designed to tar the two.
Kweku Baako said the Kwasi Nyantakyi component is only a fraction of the potential infractions and ethical violations captured by the investigators
“You will see so many things, hundreds of people involved – football administrators, political elements, referees, linesmen (assistant referees) and so on.”
Kweku Baako expressed regret that the GFA President had been caught in a web he may have helped weave.
“I like Kwesi Nyantakyi; he knows that; it is painful what has happened but one cannot cover up what appears to be a transgression.”
