The President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, has branded the outgoing Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye a disappointment, accusing him of allowing his personal hatred for the association to impair his judgement.
Mr Nyantakyi in an interview with pressmen on the sidelines of the GFA Extra-ordinary Congress held at the Alisa Hotel (Asante Hall), Ridge in Accra on Wednesday, January 4 said Mr Vanderpuije allowed their poor personal relationship to affect his work making him a big disappointment as sports minister.
He said, “I think that it is important for us to appreciate that anybody who finds himself in public office owes a duty to do well and follow procedure, law and so forth without introducing mediocrity and any personal dislike for people.
“His personal hatred for me or the GFA, i think blighted his work and made him a big disappointment to that Ministry that he headed, It is very unfortunate but that is the fact, I mean you can’t run away from the fact.
“It is better he appreciates the fact and then we move on but he is no longer relevant, let’s look ahead, if you can ask relevant questions, I am ready to answer them, the Minister is not relevant.
“He is not relevant to me, so if you want me to answer your questions ask relevant questions”.
Mr Nyantakyi’s latest salvo is the continuation of a long-running battle between the FA and the MOYS which has persisted since Mr Vanderpuye was vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on February 8.
The GFA, who blame Mr Vanderpuye for the Black Stars being on the brink of crashing-out of the World Cup qualifiers have in the past accused Vanderpuye for witch-hunting their management members while the Minister has maintained that his focus was to devote equal attention and resources to all sports.
Mr Vanderpuye during his tenure which ends on Saturday saw him halt the payment of honorarium to management members of the FA during Black Stars official matches and slashed the winning bonus of the senior national team from $10,000 to $8,000.
