Disgraced & greedy Mortage deals in visa for money

I have never met in person or spoken to Mr Neil Armstrong Mortagbe, the disgraced former Chief Executive Officer of Accra Hearts of Oak before, but got to know about him through a friend. One day during a social event my friend expressed concern about bringing a family member to the United States

During the discussion, my friend mentioned the disgraced and humiliated Neil Armstrong Mortagbe who was his mate in high school, and has offered to help him secure a travelling visa to the US for his family member at the cost of $ 8,000. The school or classmate who was Marketing Consultant for the world governing football organization {FIFA} happened to be Mr Mortagbe. That was how I heard this gentleman's name for the first time and that was about 4 years back. Over the period, sometimes when I visited my friend, he and Mortagbe will have a lengthy discussion over the phone regarding the visa deal and how much he Mr Mortagbe was expecting to be paid upfront before he starts the process. My natural instinct which hardly fails me kicked in that this guy is a connection man and dubious, because it seems like that's what he does behind the scenes using his FIFA connections and if I have a school mate who is in a position to help my close family member and but asking for $ 8000.00, obviously he is not a friend.

Eventually, Mr Mortagbe was able to secure the visa using his connections for my friends family member, took his dollars and the person is currently residing in the US. He has actually been using his official position to deal in visa for fees. He is a guy with shady character.

Therefore from what I knew I thanked God and was happy, when he was disqualify for technical reasons from contesting the position of the Ghana Football Association [GFA] presidency. My guess and imagination could be as good as anyone else knowing what Ghanaians and the sports fratenity know about Neil currently. He would have misconducted and misuse his office to secure visa for fees.

I was also shocked when Accra Hearts of Oak appointed him as the Managing Director of the club, knowing how dubious and greedy he could be. Now he has disgraced himself in the public. Am inclined to believe he played some tribal cards in his appointment as the CEO.

It therefore came as no surprise when a credible newspaper like the Daily Graphic, reported that Mr Mortagbe was arrested by the Darkuman Police for his involvement in a visa deal and has been granted bail by a member of Board of Director of Accra Hearts of oak sporting club. But very typical of Ghanaian politicians and public office holders they are quick to deny any newspaper report.

I had worked for Graphic in the past and I trust every story they put out there. I knew their editorial policy that if the said reporter did not have documentary evidence or recording from the independent body like the police, the editor will not use the story for legal reasons.

On Monday when news broke out that Mr Mortagbe has been asked by the Board of Directors to step aside to make way for the on going investigation into how he used the club letterheads for various personal transactions I knew that was the man I have come to know.

The ice was place on the cake on Tuesday, when Dr Nyaho- Tamakloe, another member of the board said they were shocked by the degree of malfeasance by the interdicted Mortage. He added " I personally don't think Mr Mortage will return because just the surface got all us surprise and starling , so the report of the investigation will be more frightening . We were shock and I don't think any one expected this coming."

There were some other allegations like, using club letters heads for personal deals among others, but the one that shock me most was the Managing Director of a great club like Accra Hearts of Oak could take a gift of $ 1000.00 from a club sympathizer for injured Captain Moro Abubakar and paid it to him in two installments within three months. That was disgraced and dishonest to the highest order. He is also alleged to have under declared the Phobia Legacy Campaign Money from NG 50,000 to NG 12,000 .

Meanwhile ,Mr Mortagbe was securing visa for people for fees in addition to working as a marketing consultant . What kind of lifestyle does he live because he has his hands in all kinds of deals to satisfy his ostentatious and lavish life.

Mr Mortage is a greedy and disgraceful to his old students and the sport fraternity.

He needs to be handed over the law to serve time if found guilty because this has been going on for the 10 months he has been in office.

This man apart from using the club to amass wealth in an alleged fraudulent and dishonest manner, he further put out the club for disgraced and public ridicule . He topped it by using his tribal connection among the board chairman and other members to lie about coach David Duncan who was contract was terminated prematurely. Now the club has to cough up $ 40.000. He should be punished.

The GFA should also be investigated in the future because there are speculations in the media and public that such visa deals runs through the associations and at club level.