{"id":205177,"date":"2016-04-08T10:00:53","date_gmt":"2016-04-08T10:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=205177"},"modified":"2016-04-08T10:00:53","modified_gmt":"2016-04-08T10:00:53","slug":"jon-benjamin-the-tough-talking-diplomat-with-love-for-ghana-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/04\/jon-benjamin-the-tough-talking-diplomat-with-love-for-ghana-football\/","title":{"rendered":"Jon Benjamin – The tough-talking diplomat with love for Ghana football"},"content":{"rendered":"
Few people in Ghana attract media attention these days than H.E. Jon Benjamin who is not only the British high commissioner to Ghana but also to Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso.<\/p>\n
Having served as a diplomat for the last 30 years, Jon Benjamin is very careful with his comments on social issues but has never shied away from letting his opinion known no matter what the topic is.<\/p>\n
He has made comments about one of Ghana\u2019s most controversial and criticized ministers of the gospel, Bishop Obinim, and was recently seen smiling in a photo with iconic Ghanaian musician Shatta Wale.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”cazTMPFSO9dFu0xmRYxTLo5tLBgrKwPC”]However, none of his utterances in Ghana caused a stir like the ones he made on October 28 2015, when he quizzed what monies received by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) was used for in relation to the development of grassroots football in Ghana.<\/p>\n
Five months and six days after his comments, the peace pipe has been smoked between the British high commissioner and the Ghana Football Association (GFA).<\/p>\n
In fact, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has even teamed up with the British High Commission in campaigning for peace ahead of Ghana\u2019s Parliamentary and Presidential elections later in the year.<\/p>\n
But Jon Benjamin\u2019s questions on how football is being developed from the grassroots and how the FA uses monies received from FIFA are as important today as they were in October 2015.<\/p>\n
In a full interview with the Tracker on Citi Sports<\/strong>, Jon Benjamin insisted that he has a growing relationship with the GFA although he contends that utmost transparency is the way to go in football.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst of all we did meet. You know there was a public exchange although I have to say, I was not the one who indulged in personal insults. I just asked the questions,\u201d Jon Benjamin told Citi Sports<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it is regrettable that some of the responses were in the form of personal attacks rather than addressing the issue although we have all drawn a line under it.\u201d We have decided to take our discussions offline and we have had some heart-to-heart talks.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut I think all football associations including the Ghana Football Association know in this new FIFA era of greater openings and greater transparency that all FAs need to get to that point and basically be more transparent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very enlightening to me that one of the first things to happen under the new FIFA President was the salary of the new FIFA president that was revealed.\u201d<\/p>\n