Accra:Kurt Okraku's leadership of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has reached nearly seven years since his 'GameChanger' manifesto launched in 2019. The manifesto, which was intended to rejuvenate Ghana football, emphasized transparency, accountability, gender equity, corporate governance, and professionalism. Although several initiatives have been introduced under his administration, the challenges addressed in his initial promises remain significant.
According to Ghana Web, one of Okraku's primary objectives was to make the Ghana Premier League autonomous. While an Autonomous Premier League structure has been established, the process halted as clubs requested the GFA continue managing the league, indicating that the promise remains unfulfilled.
Okraku also vowed to enhance support for Premier League and Division One clubs with improved training facilities and equipment. Although financial support has increased significantly, with each Premier League club receiving GHS1 million before the 2025/26 season and another GHS1 million announced for 2026/27, questions about the financial sustainability of these clubs persist.
The revival of Colts football was another promise, with the GFA investing GHS1.8 million in training 600 Colts coaches and supporting regional competitions. However, the ongoing initiatives suggest that the transformation of Colts football is still in progress rather than completed.
At the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, promised developments like 14 international-standard pitches remain uncompleted. Although there have been investments in renovations and other facilities, the Centre continues to be a project in progress.
In refereeing, despite the 'Catch Them Young' policy and investment in referee development, concerns about officiating standards continue to challenge the GFA.
The national teams, particularly the Black Stars, have faced instability with frequent coaching changes and a failure to qualify for AFCON 2025. Despite qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, the national team's performance under Okraku has been inconsistent, with a win rate of 39.3 percent, the lowest in recent GFA history.
Overall, Okraku's tenure has seen some progress but has not fully delivered the transformative change promised in the 'GameChanger' manifesto.