- GFA Controversial Bus Scandal sparks Calls for Investigation and Prosecution
- The buses, deemed, "death traps," are unregistered
- Edem Senanu calls for an investigation into the procurement process
Anti-corruption advocate Edem Senanu has called on authorities to investigate and potentially prosecute individuals involved in the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) bus scandal.
A Sports investigation uncovered that the GFA awarded a GHC5.1 million contract for its bus initiative for Division One and Women’s Premier League clubs to Michael Osekere, the association’s Chief of Staff, creating a clear conflict of interest.
In November, GFA President Kurt Okraku presented nine buses to Division One clubs to help address their transportation difficulties. However, J.Y. Appiah, the former Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), criticized the buses, calling them “16-year-old death traps.” The vehicles have yet to be registered, and some clubs have been instructed to return them.
Each bus was reportedly priced over GHC500,000—an amount seen as excessive for vehicles that are now inoperable.
Speaking on Joy FM’s News Night, Senanu emphasized that the procurement process should have adhered to a competitive bidding system.
“This is fraud. It’s corruption. When you’re entrusted with a responsibility and make clear attempts to manipulate the process for your benefit or that of others,” he said.
“If something has been misreported or underreported, and the actual age of the buses has been falsely stated while assigning an inflated cost, that’s corruption.”
Senanu further pointed out that administrative regulations require open tendering for any contract exceeding a certain amount, which was not followed in this case. He urged investigative agencies to take over, as the facts, if accurate, suggest a clear attempt to defraud the state of valuable resources that are already scarce for other critical needs.
Documents obtained through investigation reveal that the GFA secured the buses through a sole-sourcing agreement with Freightgistics Ghana Company Ltd, which handled the clearance of vehicles purchased from World Trade Co. Ltd in Incheon, Korea. Freightgistics Ghana Company Ltd, founded on March 28, 2013, is managed by Michael Osekere, raising further concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
