The much-anticipated congress of the Ghana Swimming Association (GSA), scheduled to elect new executives, ended in turmoil on Saturday after a dramati
The much-anticipated congress of the Ghana Swimming Association (GSA), scheduled to elect new executives, ended in turmoil on Saturday after a dramatic court injunction and heavy security presence disrupted proceedings at the Accra Digital Centre.
The congress, which was expected to chart a new course for the sport’s leadership, turned chaotic when a group calling itself the Concerned Stakeholders of Ghana Swimming secured a court injunction to stop the elections.
The group accused the current leadership of procedural irregularities and lack of transparency in the build-up to the congress.
Security Clampdown and Early Tensions
As early as 8 a.m., security personnel from the Ghana Police Service, National Security, and the Ghana Army took control of the venue to enforce the court order.
The plaintiffs—led by presidential aspirant Daniel Opare—arrived first to ensure the injunction was upheld, while some of the incumbent officials and delegates trickled in hours later.
The atmosphere remained relatively calm until the arrival of the incumbent General Secretary, Mohammed Muniru, and his team, who insisted that the congress should proceed as planned. Muniru’s arrival immediately heightened tensions as he and other executives challenged the authority of the security officers to halt the event.
Dispute Over Court Order
A woman who identified herself as the Electoral Commissioner of the GSA, Yaa Danso, openly clashed with security officials, questioning the legitimacy of their intervention.
She argued that the association had not been formally served with any injunction and therefore could not be compelled to suspend the congress.
“We’ve not received anything. So, we have to come and do what we have to do — comply with whatever job has been given to us,” she told reporters. “Now, we come here, and DSP Dokenu says he has received orders from the regional commander — a court order. I said, there is no court order. Show me the court order that prohibits us from holding the election now.”
Danso accused the security agencies of obstructing a lawful process and undermining democratic governance within the association.
“If Ghana is truly a democratic country, those police officers should be called to order,” she insisted.
Background to the Dispute
The internal wrangling within the Ghana Swimming Association has been simmering for months.
Several stakeholders have accused the incumbent executives of sidelining key members and mishandling association funds.
The Concerned Stakeholders group claims that multiple petitions submitted to the executives about alleged financial mismanagement and flawed electoral processes were ignored.
These tensions culminated in the decision by the dissenting members to seek legal redress, arguing that the electoral roll was compromised and could be used to manipulate results in favor of the current leadership.
Scuffles And Near Violence
Security officers were eventually forced to escort several individuals out of the hall to restore order.
In a tense moment, a Joy Sports reporter covering the event was reportedly accosted by some security officers, who nearly damaged his recording equipment before a senior police officer intervened.
Stakeholders Demand Reforms
Plaintiff and aspirant Daniel Opare described the court’s intervention as a “necessary victory” for reform-minded members.
“Let’s take away the fact that I am contesting; I am a stakeholder,” Opare said. “We’ve had enough of the current leadership. They’ve refused to respond to our official letters and petitions. We are saying we need change—new people to take charge of Ghana Swimming.”
He added that his group would continue to pursue legal and procedural reforms to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability within the association.
What Lies Ahead
Following Saturday’s disruption, it remains unclear when the Ghana Swimming Association will reschedule its congress or how the ongoing legal issues will be resolved.
Some senior officials confirmed that they had indeed been served with the injunction and deliberately stayed away to avoid contempt of court.
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