Asante Kotoko’s Administrative and Operations Manager Emmanuel Newton Dasoberi has strongly responded to comments and allegations made by Ghana Football Association’s Communications Director Henry Asante Twum.
Henry Asante on Wednesday appeared on Kumasi-based Kessben FM to speak on several issues ahead of the Black Stars 2023 Afcon qualifier against Angola next week.
He spoke on the Ghana Premier League concerning the payment of locker room bonuses by betpawa and other related issues the public has been craving for answers.
However, on Thursday morning Dasoberi took to his Facebook page to respond.
The full social media statement of Newton Dasoberi is reproduced by FOOTYDREAMSGHcom:
So why is Henry Asante Twum telling so many lies to the public and misleading people who do not know how the GFA operates?
Henry says the GFA spends GHS8,000 on Kotoko evening matches. What was he trying to achieve with that? Who fixes those evening games? If the GFA fixes an evening game for the club, do you expect that it pays for the fuel?
On occasions that Kotoko requested to play evening games, we have been asked to buy fuel.
There is a history to this fuel thing and he needs to consult his boss, the General Secretary on it.
Before last season, any club that had its match played in the evening had to buy fuel.
When Kotoko played at the Accra Sports stadium in the 2020/21 season this was the case up to even when it moved to Obuasi Len Clay and subsequently, Baba Yara.
One day, Kotoko in a letter informed the GFA that it was unacceptable for clubs to provide fuel for matches it had not fixed to be played in the evening. It was an extra cost at the convenience of the FA and its broadcaster so it was the duty of the two to provide the fuel.
The GFA saw the wisdom in the letter and the General Secretary said the GFA had reached an agreement with an oil company to supply fuel for matches under floodlight.
This was the arrangement until the oil company withdrew its services. The GFA and the broadcaster took up the cost.
Is it not troubling that the Communication Director of the GFA does not know this? Or has he just been disingenuous with the issues?
Recently, Kotoko requested to play an evening game and told the GS it would pay for the cost of fuel. However, the GS later called to tell us that they would pay for it since they were paying for same in Tamale. We were grateful to the FA and we appreciated the fairness in the service.
What Henry should tell the world is that the clubs should thank Kotoko for intervening in scrapping that unfortunate arrangement of clubs paying for fuel for matches it had not requested to be fixed in the evening.
In times past, when SuperSports were broadcast partners of the FA, they used to pay for the fuel without questions. They even went ahead to pay for hotel accommodation for away teams to host them in the evening.
So where did Kotoko get it wrong demanding similar treatment today?
Clubs are responsible for security on matchdays and we go the extra mile to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
Any time Kotoko brings Military men to the stadium we foot the entire bill. Neither the GFA nor any other stakeholder pays for it. But in the end, all stakeholders benefit from it. Even during Kotoko and Hearts match when the GFA arranged for Military presence Kotoko paid for it. Meanwhile, this is not what is done in Accra.
Now to the issue of giving players mobile/momo numbers to betPawa.
When that request was made, we told the GFA it was legally wrong for betPawa to have the MoMo number of our players. We deemed it ethically wrong and still stand by it because that would amount to third-party dealings.
Our players do not have contracts with betPawa so on what basis should we give their numbers to a betting company and not know what they would do with the numbers apart from the supposed payment of locker room bonuses?
The GFA and betPawa insisted on getting the phone numbers, so we told them to keep all our bonuses and transfer them to the club’s account for onward distribution to the players at the end of the season.
We are, therefore, amazed that Henry would stoop so low to talk about this matter the way he did. Why did he ignore the fact that we said the money should be paid into the club’s account?
Why do he and people of his ilk always interested in creating a non-existent impression to the public? What would you gain with a such misleading oratory on public radio?
What Henry and his team of propagandists need to do is to conduct research before talking. You don’t just speak based on emotions. Do you hate Kotoko or its leadership or any individual within the club?
Be honest as the mouthpiece of the FA.
Speak based on science and research. You can’t continue to expose your ignorance of how the GFA works. Maybe he needs to sit down carefully and listen to all that he was saying.
We all remember the issue of Veo and the troubles we went through with the GFA. At that time people chastised us for fighting the system. As we speak today, most of the clubs are using it.
All we seek to do is to develop the game and as a member of the FA, we owe it to the game to push what we believe will improve the game.
Let it be placed on record that we have absolutely nothing against the GFA, but we would not sit for our rights to be trampled upon.
We must, as a collective unit, fight for the development of the game devoid of intimidation, witch-hunting, name-calling and what have you.
If Henry wants an honest debate on this matter he can arrange it at one of their favourite media outlets and we would be there to debate him intellectually on the issues.
Until then, the supporters of Kotoko must understand that we are not fighting the FA. All we seek to do is simply ask for fairness.
