Shameful Treatment of Ex Ghana captain-Emmanuel Quarshie

The Bible says a prophet is not honored in his own country, but most countries do the opposite by honoring their heros for selflessness, devotion, dedication, patriotism and bravery while servicing their country in different fields and capacity. Soldiers are decorated ,statesmen are named after streets and buildings to honor them. In recent times two illustrous sons of Ghana who brave the odds and storm to put Ghana high on the medical and soccer fields were made to feel a sense of regret ,neglect and unrewarded patriotism for all the years of sacrifices.The two are the founder of the Cardiology Unit of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Professor Kwabema Frimpong -Boateng and the former Captain of Ghana Black Stars and Sekondi Hasacass, Emmanuel "Abega" Quarshie. I was priviledged to have seen the very foundation of the cardio unit when Prof Frimpong-Boateng had only Lucy as the secretary at the office and read all about how Ghana disgraced,disowned and humiliated him through the " HAPPY ENDING".

The Ex captain of Black Stars and WAFU champions, Hasmal nicknamed after Guinean soccer legend Theophile Abega, sacrifice everything for the love of Ghana until he was almost over his career before he left to play for Zamalek of Egypt, yet this great man has been ignored by Ghana after he was diagnosed with throat cancer .

Kwesi Nyantekyi has virtually supervised the shameful mistreatment of faithful servant like "Abega" as if he did nothing good for the country .He did not benefit an official visit from the GFA nor a contribution towards his treatment at home, because at one time he appealed for financial help when he had exhausted all his financial resources he was ignored. Its a shame . Emmanuel Quarshie I can still picture him, sitting by the window of the green and white Neoplan bus with the inscription" Great God of Wonders" travelling from Sekondi to the Accra Sports Stadium, leading Hasacass in their WAFU campaign which they eventually won . I also have memory of him at the door of the Libyian Aircraft, holding aloft the Nations cup at the Kotoka Airport with Sampson Lamptey standing next to him, to a heros welcome and chargrin of all Ghanaians only to be disowned and discriminated in his times of difficulties.

Not only has the Nyantekyi led GFA being ungrateful but impartial against Emmanuel Quarshie but the government of Ghana as well, as everyone look on unconcern for the man to suffer until , Zamalek intervened when they heard his plight were moved on humanitarian grounds and passion to assist the Ghanaian soccer hero whose contributions and sacrifices have gone unnoticed and unrecognised by the manner he has been ignored until a foreign club came to his rescue. Recently I had the opportunity to appeal to Nyantekyi to institute a fund for retired footballers into which a certain percentage of all GFA sanctions matches played will be payed and managed by competent and men of intergrity to help these men who served this country faithfully with all they have only for Nyantekyi and his group to take the credit. Most of the players in his era did not play for money but for the love of the game and the country and that is why only a few of them are doing well. Two years ago I met some of them during the Fetu Afahye, they did not look like those that I knew a few years down the road and these are some of the issues Kwesi Nyantekyi should take into consideration when their plight come up for public discussion. Another unfortunate stand is the antagonistic position the GFA has taken against the survival and growth of the Old Players Association by deliberately refusing to attend their fund raiser function last year. The GFA gave all kinds of unimaginable excuses and lied about it when Rev Osei Kofi made it their position public

All the GFA members are concern with is their selfish gains like the sale of players and how they can enrich themselves through their travelling allowances and per diem. . They are signing some outrageous contracts by selling away Ghanaian's jersey identity when most of the African countries on the same contract maintained their national flag colorsand hiring of a non english speaking coach to coach an english speaking team ,how irresposibly is that. Can anyone imagine how much money the GFA spent at the funeral of the departing member and and to add insult to injury the Founder and CEO of New Edubiase, asking for support for his family while Emmanuel Quarshie was ignored ,neglected and left to his fate . This is sheer wickedness on the part of the FA. The GFA is fortunate that public office holders in Ghana are not held accountable for their stewardship hence the mass rot and corruption all over the place. I know very well that return air ticket to Egypt for Emmauel Quarshie will be less than $2,000 and and as a health care provider in the US, I know it will cost less for either radiation or chemotherapy in Egypt and am very confident the GFA could have helped but for their selfish and greed for money they, will prefer to keep those funds for themselves to .

Emmanuel Quarshie is suffering from the same disease like President Atta-Mills and Cecil Jones Attuquayefio but because the president is using the tax payers money, he is able to afford all treatments from South Africa to US, while Jones is benefitting from the generousity of Ghanaians including the GFA so why the selective treatment when all these men have served Ghana in different capacities, its a shame and disgrace for the GFA and Ghana to treat Emmanuel Quarshie for all the service and sacrifice. What is good for Atta-Mills is equally good for Quarshie because all expenses is not coming from any individual pocket but from the Ghanaian tax payer. The GFA could have done better as Quarshie deserve more than he bargain for. Is Ghana worth dying for when they would disown its heros like they have done to D K Poison,Shitu Muda,Bashiru Gambo who are partially blind due to lack of neglect and lately the ex -captain Emmanuel Quarshie.

I hope the young ones who are fortunately plying their trade in Europe and elsewhere for money should take a cue and lesson from what is happening to their seniors in terms of relationship and care when they retire from active soccer. I hope when sanity and wisdom prevail and the fund for the retired footballers is established they should contribute to it because the predicament of Emmanuel Quarshie can equally befall any of them.

It took the boldness and loyalty of former teammates Francis Edzie and John Boison to appeal to Zamalek President Mahmoud Abass who graciously agreed to sponsor his treatment and pay for his accomodation while in Egypt. His family is most grateful to the Zamalek team and his teammates who negotiated for the intervention for Abega's treatment .

Am very dissatisfied, disappointed and ashame that the GFA really neglected Emmanuel Quarshie making him feel a sense of regret in his most difficult time of his life . I hope he gets the treatment he needs and when he returns both the GFA should not attempt to score cheap points with newspaper publications by going to visit him because it will not be necessary.

Shame and disgrace unto you Nyantekyi & GFA for manner you have mistreated Emmanuel Quarshie.