Former chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), J.Y. Appiah, has strongly criticized the potential bid by Kurt Okraku to seek a third term as president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Okraku, whose current term runs until 2027, is reportedly contemplating changes to the GFA’s statutes to extend his tenure.
Okraku was re-elected unopposed in the 2023 elections after rival George Afriyie was disqualified by the Election Committee, a ruling later upheld by the Appeals Committee.
In a recent interview with Joy News, Appiah did not hold back in his assessment of Okraku’s leadership, saying, “I’m not impressed. Not at all impressed with his performances.”
He expressed disbelief at the idea of Okraku seeking a third term, asking, “Why should he go for a third term? What has he achieved to deserve it?”
Appiah further questioned the state of Ghanaian football, saying, “Are you satisfied with the way our football is being managed? If you are, then explain to me. What is going well with the administration of football in this country?”
The former GHALCA chairman also pointed to issues with football infrastructure, stating, “Look at the pitches we play on. I’ve heard we’ve even built boreholes for some clubs, but look at the state of the pitches.”
He continued, “Has the money been used properly? Where are the boreholes? Are they functional? Who’s responsible for making sure they work?”
Kurt Okraku took over the GFA presidency in 2019, succeeding the Normalisation Committee following Kwesi Nyantakyi’s departure after a corruption scandal exposed by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
Under Okraku’s leadership, the Black Stars’ performance has come under fire, particularly after their disappointing exit from the group stage at the last two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and their failure to qualify for the 2024 edition in Morocco—the first time in 20 years they have missed out.
Despite these setbacks, Okraku has celebrated the Black Stars’ qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has overseen progress in women’s football, including the Black Queens’ qualification for the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations for the first time since 2018.