Former Vice President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), George Afriyie, has placed the blame for the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squarely on GFA President Kurt Okraku.
This marks the first time in 20 years that Ghana will not feature in the continental tournament after finishing bottom of Group F.
Under coach Otto Addo, the Black Stars struggled through the qualifiers, failing to win any of their six matches, with three draws and three losses.
In an interview with Graphic Sports, Afriyie criticized Okraku’s leadership, accusing him of poor management and suggesting that the GFA is being run like a personal football club rather than a national institution.
“He is the number one problem,” Afriyie said when questioned about the factors behind the Black Stars’ recent decline.
He accused Okraku of ignoring valuable advice and said that his leadership style had compromised the transparency and professionalism essential for running Ghana’s national football team.
Afriyie highlighted the importance of the Black Stars, describing them as a unifying force for Ghanaians that transcends political, tribal, and religious divisions.
“The Black Stars of Ghana are the number one sporting brand in our country… it is one thing that unifies us, so if you are the head of the FA, that kind of single brand you don’t need to joke with, but I think Kurt is running the FA as if it’s his personal Dreams FC,” he emphasized.
The former GFA Vice President also expressed concern about the lack of inclusivity in decision-making, pointing out that even members of the GFA Executive Council were often unaware of key developments, such as the appointment of Mohammed Kudus as Black Stars captain for a single match.
“These current executives, sometimes you ask them (about things happening in the FA) and they say they are not aware. I can tell you that members of the Executive Council and the members of the Black Stars Management Committee didn’t even know how Kudus became captain for a single match,” he alleged.
Afriyie further criticized the player selection process, accusing the GFA of favouritism and overlooking deserving players.
He mentioned Musah Mohammed, a regular player for Turkish club Bodrumspor, who he claims was overlooked despite his consistent performances as a defensive midfielder and centre-back.
“They went to Sweden to pick a player, but they don’t know that there’s a player, Musah Mohammed, who is a regular in the Turkish Super Lig,” Afriyie said, adding: “It shows that what they are doing is serving someone’s interest and not Ghana’s interest.”
“It will be difficult for anybody to tell me they don’t know that Musah Mohammed of Bodrumspor is a regular player in the Turkish Super Lig and a very good defensive midfielder and centre-back,” he added.
Afriyie also lamented the absence of the thorough scouting practices that were previously in place, such as the use of video analysts to track Ghanaian players abroad. In the past, such efforts helped ensure that top-performing players were noticed by national team selectors.
Finally, Afriyie expressed concern about the lack of accountability within the current GFA administration, recalling how past executives, including Randy Abbey, the late Jordan Anagbla, and Fred Pappoe, would confidently advise and correct former GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi when necessary.
“In the past, executives like Randy Abbey, the late Jordan Anagbla, and Fred Pappoe would boldly advise and correct Kwesi Nyantakyi when he went wrong. That is missing now,” he remarked.