FROM THE BOARDROOM

Justice Gbadegbe Probe

The major story continues to be the Justice Gbadegbe probe into the transfer of players from the Country. I appeared before the Justice Gbadegbe probe last Tuesday and it an experience I will never forget. The hearings are held in public and any person accused is allowed to defend himself. It is a case of there is no where to run and no where to hide. Justice Gbadegbe is a very calm, extremely professional man of highest integrity and intelligence. I left the probe knowing that Justice Gbadegbe and his colleagues would all do an excellent job. I must also admit to be being surprised at both the tenacity and the level of information that the panel had at their fingertips. Their ability to quickly decipher documentation and ask relevant questions was frightening.

This I believe is the start of a new atmosphere of accountability which is set to permeate into Ghana soccer. I came into football a few months ago knowing that the only way forward would be to present Asante Kotoko as the most professional unit both on the field and off the field and to try and win the confidence of all soccer lovers by being as transparant as possible. This commission, The Justice Gbadegbe commission has reinforced my view and hope. Afterall the facts pertaining to the transfer of players has been the domain of a few in the system. The frauds that appear to have been perpetuated have been only made possible by people who man a corrupt system. This I have a major problem with. Football is for everybody and the fact is the majority of people simply cannot afford to to spend much money on the game they love. It is therefore up to all soccer administrator to make sure that supporters get full value for money.

Tuesday was a day for mixed emotions. It was a day that the truth was confirmed and that can only be good. It was a sad day though because our former Chairman Mr. George Adusei Poku was forced to admit at the probe that Robert Boateng had been sold for $600,000 and that a further $200,000 may have been paid to the agent Mr. Andersson and that these monies may have been then given to the player.