Ghana FA President Kwesi Nyantakyi has bravely told the Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye that he is bound to fail if he doesn't change his autocratic leadership style.
In a brazen revelation on the sour relationship between the federation and the minister, the GFA leader urged the sports minister to improve his interpersonal skills as the lack of it is damaging the administration of the game in the country.
Nyantakyi revealed that the government official has chosen to address the GFA on official matters only through interviews on radio stations as it is speculated Vanderpuye has granted over 100 radio station interviews all focused on criticizing the GFA since he took over.
The CAF Executive Committee member revealed most of the decisions taken by the minister affecting the GFA has not been officially communicated but told to radio stations.
The Sports Minister has made several negative comments about the federation since he took over which has elicited some riposte from the GFA's spokesman Ibrahim Sannie Daara.
And in his first response to the minister's antagonistic attitude towards the GFA, Nyantakyi says Vanderpuye will fail on his duties if he doesn't change his leadership style.
“The Minister has chosen to address the GFA through the media: I heard on air that there was going to be a meeting between the Ministry and the GFA on one Monday, and there was another time we heard of a meeting from a WhatsApp platform. I called the GFA Secretariat to confirm it and they told me they hadn’t received any communication from the Ministry,” Kwesi Nyantakyi said on Tuesday.
“If he has issues about the way football is run at the GFA, he should engage us to address his concerns or officially communicate to us, but to the best of my knowledge the Minister has never done that.
“I always hear him on air addressing us. He granted interview stating he had slashed bonuses, he also stated he wasn't happy with the budget of the Black Stars submitted by the GFA, without communicating these concerns to the Association.
“I doubt if any reasonable person would draw conclusions we have a problem with the Minister.
"Maybe he has an issue with the GFA. I am not happy with his style of management. He should ensure he adopts excellent interpersonal skills. You can’t deal with the GFA as if you are a law unto yourself. In this case, you are bound to fail.”
The beef between Vanderpuye and the GFA has been simmering for years as the sports minister has been accused of having a vendetta against the federation for ages.
Vanderpuye was part of a team in the Professor Mills administration that wanted to axe Nyantakyi from the office of the GFA through an illegal coup.
It was alleged that Vanderpuye was among four highly ranked government official who were in charge in previous GFA administrations seeking to use political influence to get back to office.
They were accused to have started the agenda against the Wa All Stars owner when the late Prof. Atta Mills won the 2008 general elections for the ruling NDC and they are still in office.
So Vanderpuye's posture towards the GFA is seen by the federation officials as the continuation of the set agenda with an enhanced position of being in charge of sports in the country.