Parliamentary Select Committee tells GFA leadership to transform domestic league

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture has expressed optimism that the mandate given to the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, and members of the Executive Council was enough testimony of the confidence the people had in them.

The Committee made the remark when the GFA president and the Executive Council paid a courtesy call on them at Parliament House in Accra.

Both the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the committee, Mr Alex Kofi Agyekum, and Mr Kojo Asemanyi, said it was appropriate for the committee to invite the Kurt Okraku and the newly elected GFA Executive Council for familiarisation and also to discuss issues of importance in Ghana football.

The committee reminded the GFA president and the Executive Council of the huge challenge of reviving Ghana football and urged them to focus on the domestic league and make it more competitive and attractive.

In his address, Mr Okraku expressed appreciation to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports for the opportunity to interact with them.

He reiterated the GFA’s firm belief that “government is a strategic partner for the development of football in the country,” and gave an assurance of the GFA’s commitment to strengthen its relationship with the Select Committee.

He briefed the committee on the new vision of the football association and its programmes, including the return of domestic football in the country next month.

Mr Okraku also mentioned the various innovations that had been introduced to make both the domestic league and Ghana football better.

Some of the innovations include a new refereeing strategy and the restructuring of the secretariat, which includes establishing new departments to ensure efficiency.

He, therefore, appealed to the select committee to assist the GFA in its quest to secure funding for all levels of domestic football in the country.

Both the Executive Council and the Select Committee reiterated their commitments to strengthen the relationship between the two bodies.