Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku says he welcomes constructive criticism of his leadership, insisting that no football administrator in Ghana has ever enjoyed complete support during their time in office.
Speaking to 3Sports, Okraku said dissent was a normal part of leadership and that he valued criticism when it was aimed at improving the game.
“It’s okay for people to speak their minds,” he said. “I love people who are not only critical, but are constructive.”
The GFA president argued that scrutiny had followed every administration, pointing to former FA leaders Kofi Amoah, who chaired the Normalisation Committee, and Kwesi Nyantakyi as examples of officials who faced criticism despite their achievements.
“President Kofi Amoah, who served as the president of the FA during the normalisation, faced fierce criticism during his tenure. President Kwesi Nyantakyi, same.”
According to Okraku, Nyantakyi’s tenure coincided with some of Ghana’s most notable football successes, including the Black Stars reaching the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup and the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
“At the end, he took Ghana to the quarterfinals of the World Cup. He took Ghana to the finals of the AFCON. He did his part, and my job is also to play my part.”
The GFA chief said he believed his own administration would be judged more fairly after he leaves office, arguing that history often offers a different perspective on leadership.
Drawing a comparison with Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, Okraku said he expected people to eventually recognise the positive contributions made during his tenure.
“I would say that when I’m gone, just like Kwame Nkrumah, people will appreciate. And people will not only appreciate, but people will remember the good things that we did for Ghana football.”
Okraku’s remarks come as his administration continues to face scrutiny over the direction of Ghanaian football, with debates over governance and the performance of the national teams remaining central to discussions about the game’s future.
