Kwesi Nyantakyi says he is “not hurt” by Anas documentary that ended his football career

Former Ghana Football Association (CAF) president Kwesi Nyantakyi says he harbours no personal resentment towards investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas following the Number 12 documentary, which brought his career in football administration to an end.

He also believes he was on course to become president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). 

Nyantakyi stepped down in June 2018 after the release of the controversial documentary that exposed alleged corruption within Ghanaian football.

The documentary showed Nyantakyi receiving 65,000 dollars from an undercover reporter and claiming he could use political connections to advance business interests.

The revelations triggered widespread public backlash and led to his resignation from the GFA, CAF and FIFA. In October 2018, FIFA imposed a lifetime ban on Nyantakyi, which was later reduced to a 15-year suspension.

Speaking in an interview on Joy News on Tuesday, January 6, Nyantakyi said the circumstances surrounding his exit no longer weigh on him and insisted he has moved on.

“I am not hurt by anything like that. Life goes on. There are many opportunities in life for every individual,” he said.

Reflecting on his time in African football administration, Nyantakyi stated that he was well placed to succeed to the highest office on the continent before the scandal.

“At the time I exited CAF and football, I was the first vice president of the federation. It was very possible Ghana would have had a CAF president,” he noted.

Nyantakyi is now a full-time politician and has ventured into active partisan politics. He contested the New Patriotic Party parliamentary primary in Ejisu in 2024 but lost.