The top hierarchy of the Ghana Football Association is expected to meet the Youth and Sports Ministry today to discuss crucial issues including a solution to the rocky relationship between the two bodies.

Joy Sports understands that the meeting which was at the request of the Ghana FA, will touch on a range of issues including how the two bodies can collaborate effectively to ensure a successful qualification campaign for the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The Ghana FA has not had the best of relationships with the Youth and Sports Ministry especially after Nii Lante Vanderpuye was appointed.

In an interview to confirm the meeting Nii Lante Vanderpuye said " If it's about the perceived friction between the Ministry and he GFA and not me the individual, think it's is good we sit down, discuss issues and resolve them."

"I am focused in my mind and convinced about what I want to achieve for the Ministry and what I want the ministry to achieve for Ghana Football and that that is not negotiable. I will make sure that we achieve what we are supposed to achieve. That we build structures and ensure accountability and fairness as well as the judicious use of resources in football," he told Joy Sports in an interview on the Joy Sports Link last Saturday.

The disagreement between the two bodies came to a head when the Ministry sent a strongly worded letter to the GFA. The letter signed on behalf of the Minister by his Deputy Vincent Oppong-Asamoah, asked the FA to desist from keeping the Ministry in the dark about friendly games and arrangements for competitive matches involving the national teams especially the Black Stars.

A portion of the letter read; 

“The Ministry would like to reiterate, that, all dealings of the GFA in relation to the Black Stars and for that matter all the National teams should be routed through the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the statutory body responsible for sports development and promotion in the country.”

“It is, therefore mandatory that the GFA involves the Ministry in all contracts, agreements and memoranda that you might sign in relation to the Black Stars and all the National teams.”

In an earlier interview with Joy Sports, the spokesperson of the FA Ibrahim Sannie Daara said the ill relationship between the two bodies could derail focus for the Black Stars qualification campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. "Other countries like Egypt have started placing scouts on some of our key players and we are yet to start anything in terms of preparations. This is not the best," he said.

Ghana is drawn alongside Congo, Egypt and Uganda in Group E of the CAF regional qualifiers for the next FIFA World Cup.

-

Follow Nathaniel @citizenattoh on instagram, @niiattoh5 on twitter and Nathaniel Attoh Citizen Attoh on Facebook