'My daughter asked if I was a thief' - Kwesi Nyantakyi reflects on “Number 12” fallout

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kwesi Nyantakyi has opened up about the lasting personal toll of the 2018 “Number 12” exposé, describing its impact on his life and family as irreversible.

Speaking on the AM Show, Nyantakyi reflected on the consequences of the undercover investigation by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which uncovered systemic corruption in Ghanaian football and resulted in his lifetime ban from football administration.

While acknowledging the gravity of the fallout, Nyantakyi said he harbours no personal resentment toward the journalist, suggesting that any lingering moral concerns should be dealt with privately.

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Nyantakyi said,

Beyond the professional sanctions, the former football administrator revealed that the exposé inflicted deep emotional distress on his family, particularly his young daughter. He recounted a moment that underscored the personal cost of the public scandal.

Nyantakyi told the show,

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He explained that the public perception created by the investigation altered how people related to him, eroding the respect and standing he once enjoyed.

He noted,

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Despite the ordeal, Nyantakyi expressed appreciation for friends and associates who stood by him during what he described as one of the most difficult periods of his life, marked by intense social scrutiny and psychological strain.

The “Number 12” investigation, which aired in 2018, sent shockwaves through Ghanaian football, exposing officials involved in bribery and match manipulation. The revelations led to sweeping reforms within the GFA and the sanctioning of several officials, reshaping the administration of the sport in the country.

Nyantakyi’s remarks offer a rare personal insight into the human cost behind one of Ghana’s most consequential sporting investigations, years after its far-reaching institutional impact.