Kwesi Nyantakyi has responded for the first time to his viral statement captured in Anas Aremeyaw’s investigative exposé conducted in 2018. In the exposé, Nyantakyi was seen telling a football investor, who was a disguised journalist from Anas’ team, that he has a huge influence on the president of Ghana.
On June 6, investigative journalist Anas Aaremeyaw Anas shocked the footballing world with his exposé titled “Number 12,” which focused on the intersection of football and politics.
Nyantakyi was secretly filmed saying:
“Ghana is the easiest place to do business, all you have to do is to give the president [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo] $5million and the vice president [Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia] $3million.
“l has the president in my pocket, l sees him every day.
“As for referees, all you need is, give them 20cedis and girls and they are sorted.”
President Akufo-Addo, after watching the video at the Flag Staff House, directed the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to arrest Kwesi Nyantakyi, the president of the Ghana Football Association, on charges of defrauding by pretence
Years down the lane, during an interview on Starr Chat with Bola Ray FM, Nyantakyi denied ever uttering those words and expressed his disapproval of being caricatured alongside the president. He deemed it uncivil and unjustified.
”I never said that. You see the propaganda and who am I to defend myself. Ask Anas to produce a tape in which I said that. How could I even have said that, I never ever said that. But I saw cartoons of Kwasi Nyantakyi reduced into a spider with the Nana Akufo-Addo’s head protruding out of my pocket. It was very disrespectful for people to do that.”
