Truly and indeed empty barrels make the most noise. What did you just say, young man? Sorry I did not know I was so loud, he said. I am only surprised at the behaviour of our current Governor. He seemed to have the cure for every problem of ours when he was at the other side, he explained.
Well let me not bore you with the musings of a legal alien in a semi deserted train from Connecticut to New York.
The boys sudden surprise or dismay or whatever you call it at the conduct of his current Governor does ring a bell in Ghana’s current football predicament with the Normalization Committee in that it had elements of well to do individuals, self-proclaimed Kweku Ananses and people with the Midas touch who we were told literally turned everything they touch to gold.
I must say they came with mouth watering credentials but alas the results being churned out leave much to be desired.
For those who may think at this juncture I am being an ingrate to the messiahs of Ghana football, please start asking yourself these questions;
1. Where were we before the Normalization Committee and where are we after four months into their mandate.
2. What significant action has the committee taken to resuscitate our football?
3. Are we any better off?
I know you have more questions to add so please feel free and add them but the crux of what I am driving at is that a good part of their mandate has been wasted on frivolities and ego challenge.
One of those frivolities was the Special competition and its accompanying name-callings which finally has been cancelled.
A critical scrutiny of the reasons given by the Normalization Committee on why they failed to make the Special Competition work will sum the ineffectiveness of the Normalization Committee and why they are failing Ghana football.
First of all let me deal with the part of the release which states that the sorry state of Ghana football made it impossible for corporate entities to be associated with Ghana football hence the plea to government for the support which government through the Ministry of Youth Sports and its allied agencies heeded. Now what were you expecting? Did you underestimate the job you were given? If anything at all, the name Normalization should tell you that you were not in normal times so why this unnecessary wailing? What have you done about that image? Tell us specific initiatives your team has taken to deal with that and if you do not have anything to say to that then be mute because you were not assembled to tell us our problems but rather to fix them.
Furthermore, the release touched on the format of the competition which the Premier League Clubs kicked against and I cringed. Mama Mia, Mr. Dan Kweku “Ananse” (will explain later) Yeboah why did you add this to the release? You should rather be singing the praises of the Premier League clubs for saving you from that disgrace. How on earth did you think an elite slot could be competed for amongst all the clubs across board? Did you not see that Mr. Wisdom? Like I said it’s surprising you added that part of your engagements with the clubs to the release.
In addition to the above, the release explained what the sourced $1.2m from government was being used for, bravo. I am wondering why it then became so difficult to tell the clubs when they demanded to know the cost centers and its accompanying cost allocations. Mr. Kweku Ananse please the money came from government and the leader of government, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says Ghanaians should not be spectators but citizens and these were clubs being good citizens who you later branded in your release as selfish and greedy. Are you no more an apostle of accountability and transparency? Have you forgotten so soon?
Finally the release talk about the Normalization Committee being resolute and delivering on its mandate ie making football a profitable venture and making all and sundry happy and I must say that is good to hear. But on a second thought I am tempted to say cut the jokes and get off your high horse. Please stop seeing yourself as WE and them as THEY because you are in this together. What do you think you are reforming? Have you forgotten what the FIFA representative who swore you guys in office said? If you have, go back and read. You still have some two months to go, you can at least salvage a little part of the sorry situation before you leave.
I am almost at my stop but before I alight let me share the following with you.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when you call $6,500 as national service fee.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when through no effort of yours a club participates in Africa and against all odds does well and you want plaudits for that.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when the Sports Minister and his team decide to aid the participation of Ghanaian clubs in Africa then the Spokesperson of the Normalization Committee grants interview for the Normalization Committee to take credit for no job done.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when Mr. Dan Kweku ”Ananse” Yeboah and his Normalization Committee renege on their promise of probity, transparency and accountability and rather describe clubs who decide to take a cue from their own rhetorics as alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when the President of the Normalization Committee decide to hand $100 bills to a playing body but fails to restore their main source of livelihood.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when the Normalization Committee does not see it is failing and continue to blame its key shareholders.
Allowing the inherent greatness of our football to die on the alter of selfishness, greed and braggadocio is when the Normalization Committee members feel they are only answerable to FIFA and see every intervention as interference, an assertion Mr. Dan Kweku “Ananse” Yeboah vehemently kicked against when he was at the other side. Have you forgotten he wanted every contract no matter its nature put out in the public domain.
Need I say more? I will end here and please let us meet at the next stop.
PS: I have nothing against any person or member of the normalization committee but when you decide to take on a public job you must know you are open to public scrutiny. And the Ananse I used is the proverbial Ananse who is the custodian or repository of knowledge.
Source: Adam Adjei – sports journalist/EIB Network
