Hearts of Oak petitions President Kufuor

The Board of Directors and supporters of Accra Hearts of Oak have petitioned the President, John Kufuor to set up, as a matter of urgency, a Commission of Inquiry to undertake investigations into the administration of the club.

The club said the Commission should be made up of “persons committed to do justice”. In a petition signed by the secretary to the Board, Bright Akwetey, Hearts accused the Gbadegbe Commission (which investigated player transfers by all football clubs in Ghana) of perverting justice to the advantage of those “well connected” on the bench, and was unpardonably selective in its investigations and both the Report of the Commission and White Paper thereon, were tailored to achieve ends other than those envisaged. Investigations into the transfer deals of over 30 players of Accra Hearts of Oak, including transfers effected before 1995, were left untouched by the Commission. So long as those transfers remain uninvestigated, the dark clouds of uncertainty, mistrust, mischief and corruption will continue to plague on the administration of football in this country and justice will continue to benefit the "well connected" in society, the petition says. The petition sent through the Minister for Youth and Sports to the President states; The confidence gained by the top hierarchy of Hearts of Oak in having their transfer deals swept under the carpet by the Gbadegbe Commission, has goaded them on to perpetrate other crimes against the Club, with the Club’s finances becoming the greatest victim. It adds that, under these circumstances, over $4million of the Clubs funds has strayed into various private pockets to the detriment of the Club and the players. The Board of Directors has submitted no audited accounts for nine (9) years now. There is no financial discipline in the Club. Each Board member or member of the Management Committee keeps to himself whichever portion of the Clubs funds he can lay hands on. “We ask for a Commission of Inquiry because, such a Commission armed with the powers of a High Court, supported by a team of police investigators, and aided by the services of an Attorney to scrutinize documents, is likely to achieve more, than through any other means.” Hearts wants the Commission to among other things establish; 1. Whether the allegation that part of the proceeds and rewards amounting to over $1.7million received by the Club for winning 2000 Africa Club championship was given out as "loans" to various officers of the Club to run their private businesses and have still not been refunded.

2. How much money was taken by each of the said officers of the Club and for what purpose.

3. Why the players of the African Cup winning team have not still received the promised winning bonuses of $25,000.00 each.

4. Whether any portion of the gate proceeds from the Heart of Oak's last home match against Togo in April this year was used to defray somebody's private debts.

5. Into whose private accounts in London the $50,000.00 in respect of Shamo, Quaye transfer was paid.

6. Who was given the money (in dollars) to pay Mighty Victory for Stephen Appiah's transfer but failed to pay Mighty Victory, and for which reason Hearts of Oak was publicly humiliated by the seizure of the Club's bus.

7. Whether the value of the Club's bus as quoted in the Club's records is correct.

8. Whether the purchase price of the Clubs new Secretariat is inflated.

9. Into whose private accounts abroad, if any, was Ollokwei Commodore’s transfer fee paid.

10. What happened to the payments due Hearts of Oak for the onward transfer fees for Sebastian Barnes, Joe Addo, Richard Naawu, Ablade Kumah.

11. Who transferred Masahudu Nada and Alhaji Shaibu to Clubs in Portugal and Germany respectively without the knowledge of the GFA, without International Transfer Certificates, without a declaration of the transfer fees involved up to today, and why the GFA has not demanded its percentage shares in the said transfers. This is the biggest scandal in the history of transfers and it still cries for investigations.

12. The details of each transfer contract for players transferred from 1995 to date.

13. What happened to the contributions made by the Chapters to this year’s Africa Cup.

14. Why the Club is broke in spite of receiving revenue amounting to over $4million from 1995.

15. Any other matters relevant to an enquiry of the nature requested. The club says it is of a firm belief that the principles of Zero?Tolerance for corruption, espoused by His Excellency the President, when applied to football administration in Ghana, particularly to the dirty transfer deals in Hearts of Oak, will go a long way to enhance football and Sports administration in the country.