On October 29, 2019, in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, Dreams FC Executive Chairman Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku was elected as the president of the Ghana Football Association.
It was a close contest between former vice president of the GFA George Afriyie and Kurt Okraku who emerged as the top two after the initial voting.
The contest was to go for a third round until Afriyie willingly threw in the towel as he conceded defeat to Okraku who was having the highest vote.
Okraku’s four year tenure has not been smooth. He came to meet a pandemic and football activities in Ghana was halted for over a year because of the deadly virus.
In reality, Okraku spent a little close to three years in his four years tenure.
For the achievements of Okraku, he excelled in some areas, notably his “catch them young” referee projects, providing boots for players, helping former players and football administrators who are in need by establishing the GFA fund.
Also, for over a decade, two clubs from Ghana namely Medeama SC and Dreams FC have made it to the Group stage of continental competitions under his reign.
Concerning the national teams, it has not been all that good, the Black Stars qualified for both the AFCON and the World Cup but finished at the bottom of their groups.
The Black Galaxy, Black Meteors, Black Starlets, Satellites and the women’s teams all failed to excel.
Okraku is a very affable, intelligent and a great man who is well versed and knows what he does. He can easily turn things around concerning the national teams in the course of time.
The main problem with the current administration is not about the president Kurt ES Okraku, is about the people around him.
They have courted problems and troubles for him in his three years at the helm of affairs. Fighting media men, club administrators, unnecessary attacks on social media and others.
All this have made many to tag the current administration in a certain way.
No doubt, Ghanaians love Kurt Okraku but it is prudent that majority of the people around him should be talked to because they are the people dragging the man down with their comments.
Kurt is going unopposed and it is prudent that he at least completes the projects he has started and also help to bring the national teams to an appreciable level.
There have been three injunctions already on the elections and as at now, though the FA has moved its office to Tamale where voting will be held.
Whether the elections will take place on Thursday, October 5, only time will tell. But one thing which is for sure is that Kurt will need time to complete his projects.
