According to a report, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has sued journalist Muftawu Nabila Abdulai and Multimedia Group Limited over reports alleging financial misconduct in the Association’s bus procurement deal.
The lawsuit, filed at the High Court in Accra, accuses the journalist and his media company of publishing false and defamatory statements that have tarnished the reputation of the country’s football governing body.
The case stems from reports published on MyJoyOnline.com and aired on Joy News and Joy FM on March 4, 2025. The reports claimed that the GFA awarded a GH₵5.1 million contract to Freightgistics Ghana Company Ltd to procure the nine Hyundai County buses.
The reports further alleged that the Football Association used FIFA Forward money to procure the buses for the clubs through sole sourcing and alleging procurement breaches.
It was also alleged that the Ghana Football Association altered the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or Chassis number, to deceive revenue authorities.
In a follow-up report on March 10, 2025, the GFA was also accused of importing 40 mattresses in one of the containers that delivered the buses, further fueling allegations of questionable procurement practices. The reports suggested that the purchase violated FIFA’s procurement regulations, which require open and competitive bidding for contracts exceeding $50,000.
As part of its lawsuit, the GFA is demanding several remedies from the court:
A full and unreserved public retraction of all defamatory statements.
A clear and unequivocal apology to be aired on Joy FM and Joy News Television, published on MyJoyOnline.com, and shared across Multimedia Group’s social media platforms.
A perpetual injunction preventing the defendants from making further defamatory statements about the association.
General damages of GH₵20 million for reputational harm.
Exemplary damages for what the GFA describes as a reckless and malicious publication.
Legal costs and other expenses incurred as a result of the lawsuit.
The GFA argues that the reports have caused significant damage to its credibility, both locally and internationally, as football stakeholders, clubs, sponsors, and governing bodies such as FIFA and CAF have raised concerns. The association says it has been forced to respond to inquiries and clarify its position due to the widespread impact of the allegations.
Multimedia Group and Muftawu Nabila have yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit.