Evidence from the appointments made under Kurt Okraku shows that the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) is operating an across-the-board federation with several acolytes of his opponents serving in key positions under his reign.
Contrary to reports that just members of the Dreams FC team have been given appointments under Okraku’s leadership of the GFA, the evidence shows just 5% of people thought to be close to Okraku have secured positions.
306 people have been appointed to serve in various positions within the GFA since Okraku took charge about four years ago, with just 17 people being his allies while several people within the camp of his opponents have been appointed to key positions within the GFA.
With GFA elections looming, a list was recently circulated on social media platforms seeking to paint a picture of Okraku running a closed government while sidelining perceived opponents.
However, upon scrutiny, it was discovered that the Kurt Okraku-led administration has established 39 committees, including Nationwide Teams Management Committees, Technical Teams, Events/Competitions Planning Committees, Legal and Judicial Committees, and Other Operational Committees. A total of 306 individuals are working across these committees.
Moreover, it is worth noting that 14 individuals who worked with or for George Afriyie, a rival candidate in the GFA elections, have been appointed to positions in the Kurt Okraku administration. It is also noteworthy that George Afriyie himself was offered a position by the FA, which he declined, leading to criticisms of his refusal to contribute to unity within the association.
The list of appointees highlights the involvement of Nana Yaw Amponasah’s team members in the management of the FA. Despite finishing third in the 2019 elections, several individuals from Amponsah’s campaign team were given roles within the association.
Notably, Mark Addo, who served as the vice president of the Ghana FA and chairman of the management committee for the Black Stars, was a key financier of Amponasah’s campaign. Even Amponasah himself was appointed to serve on the National Juvenile Committee alongside the president, although he did not show interest.
Similar instances can be found with Fred Pappoe and Dr. Randy Abbey, who both contested the presidential position but were subsequently appointed to positions within the FA.
Pappoe was named on the Black Stars Management Committee, while Abbey became the Chairman of the Black Satellites Management Committee, despite previously being part of Pappoe’s team.
It is crucial to engage in critical analysis and consider the statistics in relation to the claims made. Labelling the government as a family and friends administration may oversimplify the situation.
Ultimately, the intelligence of the voting delegates should be trusted to assess each argument and make informed decisions.
Kurt Okraku’s administration should be evaluated based on the qualifications, competence, and effectiveness of the appointees rather than unfounded allegations of nepotism.
By: Osei-Asibey Roland
(Football Enthusiast, Akatsi College of Education, VR)
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