Following two investigative stories published by us, we have received the below press release by a group calling itself ‘Concerned Badminton Stakeholders and Petitioners.’

Kindly read the press release below:

CONCERNED BADMINTON STAKEHOLDERS AND PETITIONERS
RE-PROBE BADMINTON BOARD
Our attention as petitioners to the Badminton Association Executive, National Sports Authority, Ghana Olympic Committee, the Badminton Confederation of Africa and the Badminton World Federation has been drawn to a publication on 16th November and on the 20th of November 2020 and also shared on the social media of an impending AGM by the Badminton Association of Ghana BAG and of a publication on liquid sports with regards to athletes funds.

It has become very apparent to comment on portions of these publications and set the records straight:
It is of great interest to say that the investigative team really touched base with the athletes in question. It is worth noting and to give it perspective that the female player in question is a member of one of the petitioning clubs.

Our information corroborates what the investigative team posted. She rightly informed the Club leadership of the said scholarship and leadership required of the BAG President to give some credence to the story since neither the club nor the Player was actively involved with the accessing of the funds nor were neither club nor Player officially informed of the scholarship. A further probe by the leadership of the club resulted in the invitation of the player to Accra to meet with the Presidency of BAG. In that discussion the player was told the BAG administration would involve and schedule the mode of applying the scholarship with her coaches. After waiting without hearing anything the club then made attempts to seek for answers which never came. The player concern then met the Secretary General of the association who told her to forget about the said scholarship.
Secondly, a special purpose social media platform was formed due to challenges of organizing all persons at one place for a general meeting and for the purposes of electing representatives of the Central Region to form the regional management team on the 9th of February 2019. On this vehicle all known personalities involved in and with Badminton Administration and play in the central region were put up.

A communiqué from the BAG stated the following positions were essential for the regional association to be inaugurated. Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, NSA Rep, GES Rep, International School Rep, Athletes Rep, Clubs Rep, Para Badminton Rep.
On the 13th February 2019 nominations were taken using same media. On the 14th and 15th of February 2019 elections and declaration of executives took place. The BAG president was however not satisfied with the composition of the elected executives because of reasons best known to him, especially the Chairman elect and his Vice. He called for changes to be made which were very unfortunate in a democratic era. For this reason the regional association could not be inaugurated to date. Below is the list of elected officers:
Dr. Camara Obeng Chair
Philip G. Baah Vice Chair
John Windie Ansah Secretary
Eyram Migbodzi Treasurer
Pearl Makafui Clubs Rep
Ebenezer Affaidu – GES Rep
Noble Tandoh – NSA Rep
Kingsley Ohene – Para Badminton Rep
Ebenezer Andrews – Athletes Rep
Daniel Okyere Darko –Institutional Rep/international schools

It is therefore very strange and unfortunate to hear the BAG President say that another Region is having oversight responsibility over the Central Region when indeed the Clubs and Affiliates in the region have no knowledge or information on. Assuming this is true, does it deny the Clubs their share of the $420.00 per player that was taken? The distribution formula is 10:5:5 of the sum. Which Region is overseeing the Central Region and is the beneficiary of that 5%. Of what benefit has the sum been put to the development of Central Region Badminton?

As stakeholder petitioners we still believe that the BAG is making an attempt to amend or otherwise a constitution that never existed as major changes can be seen to have been effected at the blind side of the General Assembly that passed the 2017 constitution. A careful study of the two documents is testament enough of what the Executive are up to. A copy of the Constitution of the BAG that was sent to the various clubs by the then General Secretary, Mr. Ignatius Elletey through emails on the 8th of May, 2017 is attached as well as that which is circulated for its impending AGM on the 28th of November 2020.
By this we also attach a copy of our petition to the Executive board and the NSA as well as GOC, BCA and the BWF for your publication.
It is of great interest to also note that issues of some sizeable number of unknown players who had been entered into international tournaments and made it to Europe has also come to the fore. These and other issues were what we want the Executive to address before an AGM but sadly the Executive of BAG have chosen an option that would be judged by posterity. A few of the officials whose names have come up are penciled here. More to follow
Officials
Prince Agyekum
Vincent Aning
Angela Attah Amoah
Samuel Sarfo
John Asmah and
Charlotte Nancy Appiah

Players
James Akwei (76617)
Gloria Darko (94315)
Phillippa Adubea (89042)
Prince Acheampong (94829)
Richmond Apraku (96800)
More to follow

This issue when raised at the first instance resulted in some of the petitioners being removed from the social media page of the BAG when answers were being sought of same. Our question is, how the board can enter such huge numbers of players in international tournaments only for the players not to show up at such tournaments. Your guess is as good as ours at this time. (VF)
We are of the conviction that if there is nothing to hide from, why would the BAG try all possible means to avoid a meeting with the petitioners and move all length to exclude some clubs and their representatives from attending an AGM called for such purposes as discussing the good of the sports by all stakeholders.
Our last advice and suggestion to BAG is on the Presentation and discussion of its AUDITED accounts. We hold proof of certain documents as such we should all thread carefully and build on the legacies of others with clairvoyance.
In its set bid to exclude clubs and individuals, BAG has sheltered behind the catch words “members in good standing” and deliberately manipulating it to suit itself. Being in good standing at all times is relative to the administering authority fulfilling the demands of managing the processes well devoid of rancor and ill faith. To us as petitioners our Clubs have all fulfilled the requirements of being in good standing. At the last AGM of the BAG held in 2017, council decided that membership fees be fixed at 300.00 Ghana Cedis per Club. Fast forward 2020 the “defunct” executive board has decided that besides the 300.00 Ghana cedis clubs are to pay a further 60.00 cedis per registered member to BAG and 12 cedis per registrant as administrative fees, this we see as gross exploitation.
One question that arises or comes to mind is this “do the registered membership of the various clubs like Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak pay direct subscription to the GFA? Fancy the English FA telling Liverpool to pay direct subscription of its registered members in Ghana to it?
How does Bag want the clubs to function? How are they supposed to run their administration and affairs? In the preceding 4 years the BAG should outline the assistance and support given to each of the 44 Clubs it claims to have in its database. We would not want to believe that the BAG wants the cheapest and easiest way out to resource itself.
Kindly find attached copies of documents we rely on and believe should change the cause the executive would want to take.

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