Kwesi Nyantakyi kicks against Kurt Okraku’s bid for third term as Ghana FA President

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kwesi Nyantakyi has expressed his strong opposition to any efforts that would allow the current GFA President, Kurt Okraku, to pursue a third term in office.

Reports indicate that the GFA’s Executive Council is considering amendments to its statutes that could enable Mr. Okraku to run for another term. However, Mr. Nyantakyi contends that such changes would violate existing regulations.

“You know, I will share my opinion on this matter. I know that laws do not take retrospective action, and so when you are in charge of an organisation, you cannot change the rules to favour you if they change the term limit Kurt Okraku should not be able to contest,” the former CAF 1st vice president said, in an interview with Asempa FM.

“He came to office under a two-term limit, and during his term, if the association changes the term limit, he should not be able to qualify to contest,” he added.

Prominent football administrators, including Kudjoe Fianoo, George Afriyie, and Wilfred Osei Kweku Palmer, have voiced their disapproval of Mr. Okraku’s potential bid for a third term.

Mr. Okraku, who took office in 2019 following the tenure of the Normalisation Committee after Mr. Nyantakyi’s exit, has received mixed reviews during his presidency.

His administration achieved significant milestones, such as Ghana’s qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and progress in women’s football, including the Black Queens’ return to the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations in 2024.

However, there have also been notable disappointments. Under his leadership, the Black Stars faced back-to-back group-stage eliminations at the Africa Cup of Nations and failed to qualify for the upcoming tournament in Morocco, which ended Ghana’s 20-year streak of participation.

The debate surrounding Mr. Okraku’s possible third term adds another layer of scrutiny to his tenure, as stakeholders in Ghanaian football evaluate the impact of his leadership and the implications of changing GFA statutes.