Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kwesi Nyantakyi has firmly denied claims that he once boasted of having the president “in his pocket”.
The allegation emerged ahead of the premiere of investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s Number 12 documentary, which exposed widespread corruption in Ghanaian football.
Reports suggested that Nyantakyi, during discussions with an undercover investor, claimed he could influence the country’s leadership, remarks he now says were fabricated.
Speaking to JoyNews, Nyantakyi dismissed the claims.
“I never said the president was in my pocket, I never said that anywhere,” the former 1st CAF Vice President said.
“That allegation has gained so much notoriety that it will be illogical for me to even stand up to contradict it.”
He described the statement as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image.
“It was the figment of somebody’s imagination just to discredit me and let me look very bad in the eyes of the public, and they succeeded.”
The Number 12 documentary showed Nyantakyi accepting $65,000 from an undercover journalist and suggesting he could leverage political connections to benefit business interests.
Following the revelations, FIFA handed him a lifetime ban in October 2018, later reduced to a 15-year suspension.
Nyantakyi had resigned from his roles at the GFA, CAF, and FIFA in June 2018 amid the corruption scandal.
