Ayitey Powers cries for justice and compensation
Michael Nii Ayitey Okine, popularly known as Ayitey Powers, has appealed to government leadership to help him secure justice and compensation after suffering financial losses from a boxing promotion that was cancelled by the National Sports Authority (NSA).
Ayitey Powers, a retired boxer who has transitioned into promotion, said he invested heavily in staging a bout that was abruptly called off following the death of boxer Ernest Akushey, also known as Bahubali. He is also urging authorities to ensure that all boxers undergo proper medical screening and adhere strictly to safety protocols before bouts are approved.
According to him, although he had earlier heard rumours that the event might be cancelled, both the Minister of Sports and Recreation and the Director General of the NSA assured him that no such decision had been taken. However, a day before the scheduled fight, during the weigh-in, he received an official letter announcing that all boxing activities had been suspended.
Since then, Ayitey Powers said repeated attempts to meet the NSA Director General and the new leadership of the Ghana Boxing Authority have been unsuccessful. He also revealed that several visits to the Jubilee House in an effort to see the Chief of Staff yielded no results.
The outspoken NDC activist from the Ablekuma South Constituency expressed disappointment that he continues to face challenges despite campaigning for the current government.
He noted that the promotion, dubbed Judgement Day and scheduled for September 25, was cancelled without explanation. After the suspension on boxing was lifted, he observed that other promotions were approved by the Interim Management Committee (IMC) set up by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the NSA, while his was ignored.
Ayitey Powers, who is also President of the Voice of Boxers, said the IMC failed to stand by him as a former boxer-turned-promoter and instead supported other organisers, including Dzata Promotions in Tarkwa, Legacy Rise Sports Promotions at Legon and Bishop Promotions at the Bukom Boxing Arena.
He claimed the NSA Director General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, had promised that his event would be the first to be staged once the ban was lifted, but that assurance was not honoured.
“They don’t seem to respect me,” he lamented, adding that some promoters had gone on to use boxers he had previously engaged.
Expressing concern about the state of the sport, Ayitey Powers warned that Ghana boxing could suffer if the current situation persists, citing disparities between major promotions and smaller organisers.
He further accused members of the IMC, including former Ghana Boxing Authority president Samir Captan, Professor Azumah Nelson and coach Ofori Asare, of failing to act in the best interest of Ghana boxing and not helping him recover his losses.
According to him, the IMC lacks a clear vision for the sport and should hand over to an elected body to restore peace and confidence within the professional boxing fraternity.
Ayitey Powers concluded by revealing that the cancelled promotion has left him financially drained.
“I am broke, very broke. I spent all my money on a fight that was cancelled just a day before it was due to happen. It is very sad and unfortunate. Something must be done because time is moving on,” he said.