Ghana Football Association (GFA) president Kurt Okraku is facing growing calls to resign after the Black Stars suffered defeats in their opening two matches of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Ghana began their Group C campaign with a 2-0 defeat by Ivory Coast last Thursday before throwing away a two-goal lead to lose 4-2 to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday.
The latest defeat has intensified scrutiny of the leadership of Ghana football, with several politicians and former sports administrators calling for major changes.
Angry supporters confronted Mr Okraku following the defeat, with tensions escalating around the stadium after the final whistle.
Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations Minister Samuel Nartey George renewed his call for the Black Stars and GFA to be disbanded.
“As for the Black Stars, my position before is my position today. Disband the team. Sack the FA. Let FIFA ban us for two years. Take the time to properly rebuild the team. Truth hurts, but the patchwork is worse,” he wrote on X.
Member of Parliament for Effia, Isaac Boamah-Nyarko, also called for the dissolution of the GFA and changes to the wider structure of Ghana football.
“We have to dissolve the GFA. We have to dissolve the ministry. The Minister of Youth and Sports has to lose his job. In fact, the entire structure of Ghana football has to be broken down and rebuilt, irrespective of whether we would be banned or not,” he said, as quoted by Citi Sports.
Mr Boamah-Nyarko also called for a return to a grassroots-focused football structure.
“He should go. No brainer. He should go. They should allow us to go back and see how we built the GFA, where you had sports at the district level, at the regional level, at the national level, the local league finding its place and all of that,” he added.
Former National Sports Authority board chairman Seth Panwum has also called on Mr Okraku to step down.
“A significant setback for a national team whose supporters expect Ghana to be highly competitive, especially in Accra,” Mr Panwum told Graphic Sports.
“We cannot normalise this,” he said, arguing that the result reflected a worrying decline in the standards of the national team.
Mr Panwum said his criticism was not aimed at individual players or the injuries and suspensions affecting the squad, noting that such challenges were part of football.
“The Gambia came to Accra and defeated Ghana 4-2. That result should compel every serious football administrator to pause and ask whether the current approach is working,” he said.
“As the NPP spokesperson on sports, I am therefore calling on the President of the GFA to take responsibility for the current state of Ghana football and resign from office.”
He said Mr Okraku’s resignation would “provide an opportunity for a new leadership direction and allow Ghana football to begin a comprehensive process of rebuilding, reform and restoration”.
The back-to-back defeats have left Ghana without a point from their opening two Group C matches and increased pressure on head coach Carlos Queiroz and his players.
The Black Stars will look to revive their qualification campaign in October when they face Somalia in a double-header at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Ghana are seeking a return to the continental tournament after failing to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, ending more than two decades of consecutive appearances at the competition.
