Former Minister of Youth and Sports Mallam Ali Yusuf Isa has become embittered about a recent happening he claims between him and former President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Though failing to disclose the exact details, Mallam Isa said the action of the former President convinces him that what happened to him while serving in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government over two decades ago was a set-up.
Mallam Isa was jailed for failure to account for $46,000 meant as winning bonus for the Black Stars in a 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Sudan.
The money, contained in a luggage, went missing, for which the then Sports Minister was held responsible. The luggage returned by a different flight but the money was missing.
Narrating the whole incident on Abatoɔ Asoɔeɛ on Onua TV on Thursday, December 12, Mallam Isa said he had put everything behind him and had moved on since then.
However, he observed, a recent action by former President Kufuor only dawned on him that what happened was orchestrated.
“Initially, I just forgot the matter, went for dinner, lunch sometimes at his place.
“Even though I am now an NDC member, he had no qualms with me being NDC and I am able to pay him a visit to check up on him and if I have a matter, I put before him.
“But like I said, something happened most recently and I said what happened in the past, I had left it behind me, thinking that it was fate and what happened recently made me convinced that what happened was deliberate and not fate.”
When asked by host Captain Smart to mention what the exact happening is, Mallam Isa said: “Well, that one it is a business transaction and I don’t want to talk about it.”
Mallam Isa also revealed how the former President, who was at the helm between January 2001 and January 2009, prevented his successor from appointing him as a minister.
He said he had been assured by the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills of a ministerial position in his government to redeem himself.
However, the late President later called him that former President Kufuor had asked him to hold on until he meets with Mallam Isa.
He said the meeting was about some comments he was said to have made against former President Kufuor that he hated northeners.
