Goal scoring chart for the Star Premier League
Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001- Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), has said that the football house is united in purpose and deed and that, any contrary view is the handiwork of his detractors who want to put a sledge in the wheel of progress of Ghana football.
Reacting to a recent publication in an Accra daily that there are cracks in the GFA because of "the manner the chairman has been handling management issues," culminating in the boycott of a crisis meting by two members of the management board, Mr Koufie described the story as "a funny ploy by some retrogressive elements to derail the process of rebuilding the nation’s football industry."
He said the meeting in reference was not a crisis one and that, those who could not attend had informed him accordingly, giving very tangible reasons for their absence.
The chairman said he is operating an open and transparent administration, based on consultation aimed at inducing the goodwill of all positive stakeholders, and stressed that he would not fall foul of those principles.
On the appointments of technical heads for the various national teams, which the publication said he did without consulting others members of the board, Mr Koufie said the decision was taken at a full management board meeting before it was presented to the Executive Council for approval.
He said the management board was not obliged to confer with the Technical
Directorate before making appointments, especially when there are competent technical men of the board.
The chairman intimated that a few well meaning Ghanaians have approached him since the appointments were made, to recommend some other coaches they consider good enough to handle some of the teams, and he has put down the names of those coaches for scrutiny and consideration.
Mr Koufie said he is always pleased to hear objective criticisms because they would guide him to straighten the rough edges of his administration, if any and advised those who fabricate stories to run him down to desist from it in the interest of Ghana football.
"I am committed to the development of football in this country and I shall do my best to serve the country faithfully to the fullest limit of my abilities," he added.
Mr Ben Koufie also assured Ghanaians that the national soccer governing body is gradually getting out of the financial predicament that had bogged it over the years.
He said the Association is currently looking for sponsors, and until prospective sponsors are found, the GFA would be responsible for the payment of salaries and entitlements due to the technical personnel.
He said the coaches would soon be called upon to undergo in-service training and orientation courses before they assume duty, adding that their contributions would enhance an accelerated development of Ghana football.
The chairman disclosed that the coaches would be assigned other roles in the developmental programme when their national teams do not have assignments. “They would be involved in our grass-root development programmes to unearth and groom hidden talents for the various national teams.”
He described the Black Stars preparations for Cup of African Nations (CAN) 2002 which gets underway in Mali in January as encouraging, and disclosed that by the close of Thursday 19 October 2001, 21 of the 25 players invited were in camp.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001 - The Ghana Football Association (GFA) would very soon outdoor a new Secretary-General who is imbued with all that it takes to deal with the current malpractices in the nation’s football.
After a keenly contested jockeyship for the position by 16 applicants recently interviewed by the GFA, Mr Obeng Busia, was chosen for the vacant and critical position.
Obeng Busia, who is in his mid-forties, majored in International Legal Studies with a minor in Sports and Entertainment Law and holds a Masters Degree in Law (LLM) from the Temple University in the United States.
He was a member of the Standing Committee of the GFA between 1983 and 1986, served on the FA’s sub-committee on bye-laws, and was a member and co-secretary of the Planning Committee of the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa hosted by Ghana in 1986. He is currently a Special Assistant to the Minister of Local Government. –Graphic Sports.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) - 19 October 2001 - The Ghana Football Association has decided to refer all allegations of bribery made against some clubs and match officials to the appropriate national security agency for thorough investigations to establish the veracity of such cases.
A statement signed by Mr Ben Koufie, Chairman of GFA, said the decision was arrived at in view of the seriousness of the allegations and the harmful effect they have on the administration of football in the country. It said the GFA would deal drastically with anybody found guilty of allegations levelled against them.
It would be recalled that, Referee J. D. K. Essel who officiated the Hearts-Goldfields 18th week Star Premier League match at the Accra Sports Stadium, alleged that Mr G. M. Affizie, the match commissioner, had pressurized him to substitute Charles Taylor's name with Jacob Nettey's on his caution list because of overtures from an unnamed Hearts' official.
The match commissioner later denied this allegation, insisting that he obliged after the referee had convinced him that the yellow card he issued was to Nettey for dissent and not to Taylor.
Kotoko however provided video evidence to show that the yellow card was given to Taylor, making him ineligible for their match against Hearts in Kumasi because he had been cautioned on two different occasions.
Referee J. D. K. Essel further alleged that, Mr Kojo Nyarko, Deputy Greater Accra representative of Kotoko made a proposition to him in an attempt to influence the result of the Hearts-Goldfields match, promising him 10 million cedis if Goldfields won the match, and five million cedis in case of a draw.
He also said George Amoako, Kotoko's Director of Finance had contacted him through one Alhaji Mukiala, an official of Real Tamale United, to entice him to swing his evidence in favour of Kotoko before the Disciplinary Committee of the FA.
The disciplinary committee has since banned the referee and the match commissioner for life.
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001 – Kumasi Asante Kotoko, strengthened by the latest exposure of alleged underhand dealings in Ghana football, have sworn to wage a much bigger war against the establishment.
Describing the judgement in the Charles Taylor Affair as a miscarriage of justice, the Executive Chairman of the club, Mr Herbert Mensah, has vowed to smoke out the “mafia network” operating within the sport.
He described Kotoko’s gain in the saga as a “moral victory” and assured that the Porcupine Warriors are prepared to use all options available to them, even if the weight of football’s world governing body, FIFA, becomes necessary.
Mr Mensah confirmed that, “the Kotoko family is united in this battle and speaking one language, as they appeal against the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) Disciplinary Committee ruling that rejected their protest against Charles Taylor’s eligibility in their 19th week league match against Accra Hearts of Oak in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region last month”.
The confessions made by the match officials to the effect they fraudulently conspired to credit Taylor’s yellow card to team- mate Jacob Nettey, seem to be the strength behind Kotoko’s claims.
In spite of the evidence adduced before it, Kotoko lost the case on technical grounds while Hearts were acquitted of any wrongdoing. Kotoko, not satisfied with the outcome of the case, has vowed to seek redress from a higher authority. – Graphic Sports
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001) - The Head coach of the Black Stars, Mr. Fred Osam-Duodu, has slammed his disciplinary rod on four Kumasi Asante Kotoko players after they failed to meet the deadline given to all invited local players to report to camp by the close of Thursday, 18 October 2001.
At the time of breaking camp on the said day, the players- Osei Boateng, Joe Hendricks, Isaac Owusu and Godwin Ablordey had shown no sign of joining their colleagues in camp, thus leaving the coach with no alternative than to shut his doors firmly on them.
The veteran coach noted in an interview that, the action by Kotoko to defy his ultimatum compelled him to carry out his earlier order of shutting his doors at the appointed time.
He said, “As a coach, I tried to be fair to everybody. It is just unfortunate that things have turned out this way”.
In defying the coach’s ultimatum, the management of Kotoko contended that, they were in no mood to release their players for the national course unless the Stars handlers engaged them in negotiations for the players’ services. They stated at a press conference that releasing their players would derail their training regime and league aspirations. They maintained their stand in spite of Coach Osam-Duodu’s ultimatum with the hope of entering into negotiations, which never was. – Graphic Sports
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001 - Oheneba Charles, Chairman of Kwaebibirem United Football Club, on Thursday 18 October 2001, said the issue of home teams taking all gates proceeds at league matches is bringing untold hardships to the smaller clubs.
Oheneba said, “If nothing is done about the situation, smaller clubs would collapse as result of this arrangement”. He regretted that the decision favours only the big clubs, adding that those small clubs who unfortunately supported the idea are now feeling “the pinch”.
He cited his home grounds, Asuom in the Eastern Region, as a place, which does not attract the needed crowd during matches. He complained that the problem has affected him since the sponsorship package from Ghana Breweries is woefully inadequate to support his club.
Highlighting more on the position of the team on the league table, he said the team would fight back to stay in the premiership. He attributed some of the problems to poor coaching in the first round and injuries sustained by a number of good players. He admitted that his players were less motivated because of financial constraints.
"Most of the players have recovered now and with their new commitment and seriousness, I hope the trend would change in our favour, moreover, the club has a new coach now”, he noted.
He added that a company has expressed interest to sponsor the club for the rest of the season and that the players are in good shape and could spring some surprises.
Kwaebibirem United is lying at the bottom of the league table with 24 points
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001 - Former Accra Hearts of Oak intelligent midfielder, Eugene Addo is yet to receive his signing-on fee after being transferred to a second division club in Germany three years ago.
In a statement signed by the player himself and copied to the Board Chairman of Hearts of Oak Sporting Club Limited, he requested the board to pay him his signing-on fee of 20,000 dollars for his transfer from the club to S. V. Straelen of Germany in 1998.
According to him, he had to suspend his demand for the said amount due to the then contempt case pending against the board and management of the club which resulted in Hearts being made to pay the 50,000 dollars transfer fee into court.
He said, “ I am reliably informed; and believe to be true that, by an order of the High Court presided over by Justice J. K. Ebiasah on 25 September, 2001, the 50,000 dollars has been released to Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club and given wide publicity”.
Eugene Addo has therefore requested that; the club pays him his share of 20,000 dollars, which was quoted as his signing-on fee in 1998, and still remains outstanding. – Graphic Sports
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Accra (Greater Accra Region) 19 October 2001 - Leading scorers in the Star Premier
League after the 23rd week matches played at the various stadia across the country are as follows:
17 -- Ishmael Addo (Hearts)
12 -- Awudu Adama (Dawu)
9 --- Isaac Boakye (Goldfields), Issah Mohamnmed (Hasaacas)
8 --- Godwin Ablordey (Kotoko), Nana Arhin-Duah (Goldfields) Frank Turkson (Hasaacas)
7 --- Asamoah Dzifa (Maxbees) Nana Frimpong (Kotoko) Osei Kuffour (Hearts)
6 --- Emmanuel Donkor (Hearts) J B Danquah (Olympics)
5 --- Robert Amoaku (Goldfields) Sulemana Bentil (Kaebibirem) Charles Taylor (Hearts) Baba Sulley (Dawu) Hamza Mohammed (RTU) Ernest Boateng (Okwawu) Eric Mbroh (Dawu) Awudu Alhassan (Adansiman)
4 --- Joseph Adjei, Abass Iddrisu (RTU) Shila Alhassan, Joe Okyere(Kotoko) Albert Neequaye, Ablade Morgan (Liberty) Joe Agyeman (King Faisal) Amui Quaye (Ghapoha)
3 --- Albert Batsa, Kofi Debrah, Moses Tetteh, David Boateng (Liberty) Kwaku Asare (Adansiman) Frank Osei (King Faisal) Adzagba Komi (RTU) John Kudjoe, William Agyapong (Bofoakwa) Ellis Opoku (Kaebibirem) Issa Shaibu (Maxbees) Edmund Copson, Bernard Don Bortey (Hearts) Kingsley Kwarteng, Ebo Mends
(Hasaacas) Alfred Nii Larbi (Okwawu) Albert Nkansah (Olympics)
2 --- Fatawu Arola (RTU) Anthony Mintah, Baffour Gyimah, Tahiru Abdulai, Kwadwo Opoku (Bofoakwa) Adu Kwaku, Ayitey Dorman (Kaebibirem) Eric Gawu, Chibsah
Yusif (King Faisal) Lawrence Adjei, Joe Louis, Steven Oduro, Michael Osei
(Kotoko) Princeston Owusu-Ansah (Goldfields) Willie Hammond, Anthony Appiah
(Maxbees) Ben Kwame, Alex Awuah, Sammy Addo (Ghapoha) Nicholas Addo Ibrahim Labaran (Dawu) Nana Adarkwa, Mike Acheampong, Seth Antwi, George Brown, Francis Aggrey (Arsenals) Asare Nyarko, Johnson Eklu, Kwesi Keremanteng (Okwawu) Awuley Quaye (Hearts) David Amoaku, David Larkotey, Dennis Odoom (Olympics) Isaac Asari, Haruna Gariba, Paul Attiah, Hope Leveh (Adansiman) Ernest Papa Arko (Liberty)
1 --- Abubakar Yakuza, Tijani Mohammed, Ben Boakye, Kwabena Opoku, Ben Wilson, Awudu Ronaldo (King Faisal) Nuhu Mohammed, Victor Antwi, Salifu Shaabu,
Martin Appau (Kwaebibirem) Samuel Kyere, Ibrahim Yahaya, Joseph Boakye, Razak Moro, Shaibu Yussif, Seth Ofori, Adu Poku (Arsenals) Limbambani Yedibahoma, Akakpo Patron Wahid Mohammed, Yaw Berko (Liberty) Samuel Hansen, Richard Anderson, Mensah Pomanney, Michael Thompson (Ghapoha) Samuel Aryetey, Frank Adjei, Kwabina Dodzie, Fatau Barns (Olympics) Kofi Apetor, Richard Mireku, Alfred Nii Darko, Seth Osei, Yaw Ohene Noble, Robert Kingston, Matthew Konadu, Paul Amposah, Osei Bonsu, George Tutu (Okwawu) Charles Ampiah, Kwaku Armah, Alfred Arthur, Osei Kofi, Collins Afriyea (Adansiman) James Boateng, Steven Amo, Eric Boakye, Aminu Musah, Ofosu Amoah (Goldfields) Richard Oppong, Ben Kusi, George Yamoah, Kennedy Boadi, Kwasi Matthew, Clovis Kambou (Bofoakwa) Ibrahim Kuvi, Sulemana Faisal, Fusani Sumaila, Kwame Acheampong (RTU) Joshua Quarcoopome, Kofi Acquah, Eric Marfo, George Ampoful, Clement Cove, Ben Adjei (Maxbees) Abedi Sarfo, Aziz Ansah, Ofosu Amoah (Kotoko) Lawrence Adjah Tetteh (Hearts) Ahmed Issah (Dawu) Emmanuel Okyere (Hasaacas)
NB: Chart does not include scorer of Goldfields/Kwaebibirem match
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