Speaker of Parliament  Alban Bagbin says Ghanaians are calling on government to forgive Kwesi Nyantakyi and bring him back to football.

Nyantakyi is serving a 12-year ban after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned FIFA’s decision to hand him a life-time ban for breaking bribery and corruption rules.

The former CAF Executive Council member, who was one of Africa’s most powerful figures, was pictured taking $65,000 (£48,000) cash gift from an undercover journalist.

Since the documentary by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Nyantakyi’s subsequent ban, football has been on a rapid downturn after the country recorded its worst ever performance in the Africa Cup of Nations after exiting the group stage in the last edition in Cameroon without a win.

The Black Stars managed to secure qualification to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after a spirited away goal rule win over regional rivals Nigeria.

But the country’s Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, says people are now calling on government to forgive him.

“So please leaders don’t stand alone, they stand for something that is symbolic for the country. Criticise us, correct your children but don’t break their hands or legs it’ll affect you and that’s where we are now.

“People are calling for government to forgive Nyantakyi and bring him back  to assist. We were able to perform the wonders in Nigeria because of the new technical team that we put in place.

“We were able to gather  a potential young players of future and they were prepared to die for Ghana.”

Following the well-hatched exposé, Nyantakyi resigned his Caf and Fifa posts and has insisted the footage had been doctored to falsely incriminate him.

Nyantakyi also served as first vice-president of the Confederation of African Football and was considered one of the most influential football officials on the continent.