FEATURE: Releasing the Ministry’s letter to the Ghana FA to the media is a demonstration of gross incompetence

By: Sheikh Tophic Sienu @desheikh1 on twitter

Reports were rife in the local sports media that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has released a letter it sent to the Ghana Football Association expressing their worry over Ghana's friendly match with Japan.

I didn't want to believe it because I knew a competent institution like the Ministry of Youth and Sports will not let private correspondence out into the media since it will be a breach of privacy.

But, disappointingly, the Public Relations Officer of the Sports Ministry, Mr. Ottor Plaha in an interview with me admitted that the letter is really from the Ministry and added that they released it to prove to Ghanaians that they were really not happy with the FA's engagement in that game with Japan.

Honestly I was shocked because it's a sign on incompetence.

Yes, this is sheer incompetence.
If indeed a whole Ministry that oversees Sports in the country will be releasing documents to the media to prove that it really did something, then we are doomed as a nation.

Can we trust someone who releases private correspondence into the media to gain public support?

The PRO sent this out to the media to indicate that the Minister was really angry with the FA, so that he will be hailed?

Why should the Minister/Ministry circulate a letter it sent to the GFA President to the media?

Is that the normal practice?
Is the Ministry of Youth and Sports at loggerheads with the GFA?

This is not the best and whoever did this must bow his head down in shame and be shown the door. He must be fired!

Yes he must be fired because we can't entrust our sports to such a person.

If the Ministry wanted to address the press on this subject matter, a press release could have been better, than to reproduce the same letter sent to the GFA President to the press.

It's in bad taste, smacks mistrust, and a breach of organizational privacy.

This is the lowest level Ottor Plahar and the Ministry could go.

If Ottor Plaha did this on his own, he must be fired because it portrays that he lacks the proper communication skills to deal with the media.

If he was directed by the minister, then he should be the shortest serving substantive Sports Minister.

I'm sad that President Mahama lost the mum last night, he would have heard from me.

May she rest in peace but President Mahama must surely hear that the office of the Sports Ministry is in bad hands.