• Kurt Okraku

Campaign for the im­pending elections of the Ghana Football Associa­tion (GFA), has roared off in earnest amid fire-spitting of venomous ‘verbiage’ across board.

The quadrennial elections is tentatively slated for Octo­ber, this year, but no specific date has been determined for that purpose yet – at least, as of the time of putting this piece together.

The GFA, which is responsi­ble for setting the parameters – or better still, roadmap for the much-heralded event, is yet to come clear on it – caus­ing lots of agitation and apprehension amongst members of the oppo­site camp.

“I don’t know whether the elections is coming up this year. And I’ve not started to think about elections yet,” Kurt told Su­perSport recently.

“I react to the mood of the people. What I will do is to react exactly to the way the people want.”

Could it be a strategy of paralysis or psychological war­fare? Maybe, yes – maybe, no.

Predictably, this year’s elections may be going down as one of the most acrimonious and fiercely-held engagements to elect the man to steer the future of Ghana football for the next four years.

The incumbent – Kurt Edwin Simon Okraku, is seeking re-election after succeeding Kwesi Nyantakyi in 2019.

The October election of Okraku gave birth to the refrain: Bringing back the love for the game – coming on the heels of the Anas exposé on football cor­ruption in Gha­na.

Truth is, the ‘Bringing back the love’ mantra almost pulled the trick as thousands were vigorously enamoured by it.

This was seen in the mas­sive support Ghanaians offered the Black Stars on their way to Qatar 2022 World Cup qual­ification – though the team failed to progress beyond the opening round in the cam­paign. One could describe it as a bitter-sweet achievement for the Kurt administration.

There were also damning series of first round exits. In the last couple of months, Ghana has failed to qualify for the Under-17 and Under-20 AFCON – though we were defending champions in the latter. We were also bowled out at the group stage during the AFCON 2021 tournament – and even though we swaggered out way to the Championship of African Nations (CHAN), we got booted out in the group stages. Only last year, we were shown the door in the first round of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar!

However, albeit he has come against an avalanche of criticism for the afore­mentioned fiascos, the incum­bent FA President insists he is steadily building a strong foundation for Ghana football – also pointing to the Catch-Them-Young Referee policy that is expected to produce a sturdily steady flow of the Knights-of-the-Whistle across the continent.

It seems to many that Ghanaians are not really concerned too much about the future; what they need now is the result! No patience to wait, it appears to be!

The recent capitulation of the Black Meteors in the just-ended AFCON Under-23 tournament in Morocco, cul­minating in the team’s failure to grab a ticket to the Paris 2024 Games, seems to have pumped further weight on Kurt whose opponents accuse his administra­tion of corruption and poor leadership.

Indeed, Alhaji Karim Grusah – a member of the GFA Executive Commit­tee, has badgered on the FA – accusing it of cor­ruption – al­lega­tion that has not been responded to. Perhaps, at the appropriate time, the FA hierarchy would react to clear their image.

Certainly, opponents of Kurt would fancy these devel­opments – hoping to ride home the damage to victory.

Strappingly contesting Kurt for his seat is the former Vice President of the GFA, George Afriyie, who lost to the incum­bent in the final round of the 2019 elections.

Others vying for the top post are Kojo Yankah, the for­mer chairman of the Western Regional Football Association and the bankroller of Berekum Chelsea, Bernard Nana Yaw Amofa Jantuah

Clearly, this year’s elec­tions will be contested with ruthless intensity – and the coming days should generate an amperage of interest all the way to October.

At the end of the day, it is the hope and expec­tation of many that Ghana football would emerge the winner.