The outspoken football administrator, a known critic of the Kurt Okraku-led administration, was appointed only months ago as Chairman of the GFA U-19 Elite Championship Management Committee.

However, his tenure was cut short after last week’s GFA Congress overwhelmingly voted to extend the presidential limit from two to three terms. Out of 124 members present at the 31st Ordinary Session of Congress, 114 supported the amendment.

True to his earlier stance, Yakubu submitted his resignation letter to the GFA on Monday.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, he explained his decision:

“I initially turned down an approach from the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to work with them. I had my own reasons, and we all know that ahead of the elections in 2019, I was supporting George Afriyie, so I did not want to betray him. This time around, Kurt Okraku, the president of the GFA, personally called me for this work, but I made my stance clear that if this third term in office is accepted by Congress, I will resign—and I have done exactly that. I am grateful for everything, but I cannot continue my work as the Chairman of the Elite Championship,” he said.

The development has reignited debate within Ghanaian football circles, with supporters and stakeholders split over whether the decision strengthens continuity or undermines accountability within the association.

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The proposal is among several reforms expected to be discussed during the GFA’s 31st Ordinary Congress scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence in Prampram.

It also includes a recommendation to appoint two vice presidents, one of whom must be a woman, as part of efforts to promote gender inclusivity in football administration.

While the proposal has received a mixed reaction among GFA Congress members, Yakubu has openly voiced his disapproval.

Speaking to Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show, the seasoned football administrator expressed concern over the rationale behind the move and called for wider consultations before any such decision is made.

“I have listened to several comments about the third term, and I am not in support of it. I was involved in the earlier discussions, and I made my stand clear that we don’t need to extend the mandate of the presidential term of the Ghana Football Association,” he said.

Yakubu revealed he has formally written to the GFA requesting a list of the clubs that submitted the proposal, questioning the transparency of the process.

“I have written to the FA to demand the number of clubs that have proposed for the extension of the presidential mandate. Football is not only for administrators but also for the public, and so we need to do broader consultation about this third-term agenda.”

He further argued that the current GFA President, Kurt Okraku, still has over two years left in his second term and that eight years should be sufficient for any leader to make an impact.

“Kurt Okraku has more than two years to finish his second term, and so I believe that eight years is enough for every president to do what he can for our football.

“I will tell Kurt Okraku just to finish his second term and leave. This third term is not needed in our game. I have made my stand known to all that I don’t support this, and I’ll always stand by it,” he added.

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Ayew, who has been absent from the Black Stars since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), was left out following Otto Addo’s reappointment as head coach in March 2024.

However, the experienced forward has been in impressive form for Le Havre in the French Ligue 1 this season.

The 34-year-old has netted four goals in 17 appearances, proving his continued relevance at the top level.

With Ghana set to regroup later this month for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar, the New Edubiase United owner believes Ayew’s experience and leadership would be invaluable to the squad.

Abdul Salam Yakubu

“I believe Andre Ayew must be given a chance at the Black Stars again,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

“We all know Ayew’s commitment to the Black Stars, and we know if he doesn’t score, he will assist, so I believe Andre Ayew must be given the chance again because we need him,” he added.

Currently second in Group I with nine points, the Black Stars will take on Chad at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, March 21, at 19:00 GMT.

They will then travel to Morocco to face Madagascar at the Grand Stade d’Al Hoceima on Monday, March 24.

For the first time in two decades, Ghana, a four-time African champion, failed to secure a spot in the prestigious tournament, finishing at the bottom of Group F.

The Black Stars ended their qualifying campaign with three draws and three losses from six matches.

While many fans and pundits have pointed fingers at head coach Otto Addo for the team’s disappointing performance, Abdul Salam insists that the real fault lies with the GFA.

According to him, the association’s leadership has caused discontent within the football community, leading to the poor form of the national team.

“To me, Pep Guardiola is the best coach in the world, but he cannot handle the Black Stars. Otto Addo has done nothing wrong as coach of the national team,” he told Kessben FM.

He further criticized the state of Ghanaian football, pointing to deeper issues beyond the coaching staff.

“For our coach to celebrate an equalizing goal tells you our football has collapsed.

“Semenyo, Inaki, Kudus, and others are mature players. Otto Addo has nothing to teach them. Anyone can coach the Black Stars.”

He accused the GFA of fostering a toxic environment within Ghanaian football, claiming their actions have had a negative impact on the team’s performance.

“Otto Addo can’t be blamed for Black Stars AFCON qualification failure. We didn’t qualify because of evil leaders. They’ve really hurt people within the football fraternity. Their evil deeds are paying off,” he added.

Despite the disappointment, the Black Stars will have an opportunity to redeem themselves in March when they face Chad and Madagascar in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The construction of the stadium, which began during the previous NDC administration, remains incomplete, leaving New Edubiase FC without a dedicated home ground.

Speaking on Asempa FM’s Sports Nite, Yakubu, who also bankrolls New Edubiase FC, expressed frustration over the delays, emphasizing the impact on his team’s performance and logistics.

“I hope the new government completes the New Edubiase Stadium because moving around the country to play has not been easy for my team,” Yakubu said.

Yakubu also criticized the outgoing New Patriotic Party (NPP) government for failing to continue the project.

“The previous NDC administration started it, but the NPP deliberately did not complete it,” he added.

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) revoked its approval of the stadium last week due to its deteriorating condition.

As a result, the Black Stars, Ghana’s senior national football team, will be unable to use the stadium for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) matches that were scheduled to be played at home.

In response to CAF’s decision, Yakubu expressed his frustration on Asempa FM‘s Ultimate Sports Show attributing the stadium’s ban to ineffective leadership.

“What has happened to the country is very unfortunate. This is the only stadium where we can play our international games, and it has now been banned,” he told Asempa FM’s Ultimate Sports Show.

“This is poor leadership. The National Sports Authority (NSA), the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and the Sports Ministry must be blamed for what has happened. They have disappointed this country,” he added.

Yakubu further criticized these organizations, saying, “They have let the country down.”

Watch video below

Ghana’s upcoming fixtures include a doubleheader against Sudan next month, covering matchdays three and four of the qualifiers.

The Black Stars will first host Sudan at a venue yet to be confirmed before travelling to the Al-Merrikh Stadium for the return leg.

Meanwhile, the NSA has temporarily closed the Accra and Cape Coast stadia for maintenance.

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The senior national team and Hughton have come under scrutiny following their 1-0 defeat against Comoros in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday in Moroni.

Following the defeat against Comoros, football fans have called for Chris Hughton to be sacked.

But Abdul Salam says the players must be blamed for the recent happenings at the team and not Hughton, who signed a 21-month deal.

“We have players playing in the Premier League and other top European clubs but when they assemble for a Black Stars game, they fail to perform,” he told Asempa FM‘s Ultimate Sports Show.

“I think something is fundamentally wrong with the team and for me, it is not about Chris Hughton and his technical team. These players are good and it is about time they come together and fight for the country. 

“Chris Hughton is a top-class coach who has managed clubs in the Premier League so in terms of understanding the game, he is there so must task the players to improve their performance,” he added.

The Black Stars, opened their World Cup qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Madagascar last week at the Baba Yara Stadium with Inaki Williams scoring a 95th-minute goal.

Ghana after two games sit third in Group I with three points and will face Mali in their next game in March 2024.

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Mr Abdul Salam expressed his anger in protest to certain words used by Mr Kurt Okraku, who is the president of the GFA during his address.

During his speech, Mr Okraku highlighted some achievements of his administration in his first term.

He also spoke about packages and promises to be implemented to help the development of football in the country.

However, Abdul Salam Yakubu claimed a chunk of the speech was mere political talks and had nothing tangible to do with Congress.

He emphasised that Mr Okarku launched indirect personal attacks during his speech which is not proper as far as Congress is concerned.

Meanwhile, Mr Okraku will be seeking another term to lead the association as his first term comes to an end in October.

However, he is expected to be contested by George Afriyie, Kojo Yankah, and some other personalities.

Mr Okraku, who assumed office in October 2019, will see his first term end in October later this year and is poised to seek re-election with Congress yet to determine the date.

During the previous election cycle, the race for the presidency was fiercely contested and characterized by intense competition.

However, Berekum Chelsea’s bankroller, Bernard Amofa Jantuah is the only one to openly declare his intention to contest for the GFA presidential seat.

But Abdul Salam Yakubu believes there are more candidates who are waiting to pick nomination forms.

“There are a lot of people ready to contest Kurt Okraku. Should the GFA open nomination today, many people will send in their nomination forms to contest the GFA President and Executive Council,” he told Accra-based Onua FM.

The renowned football administrator further reiterated that the current GFA administration has created a lot of enemies for the Association, sideling all those that opposed Kurt Okraku in the previous elections in October 2019.

Meanwhile, Mr Okraku, speaking to SuperSport, insisted that he is convinced of retaining his seat ahead of the elections.

“Football will speak just like it did in 2019,” Okraku said.

“What I know for a fact is that we have served football to the best of our ability. We were told in the classroom that there’s 24 hours in a day, but football has taught has that there’s more than 24 hours in a day.

“And we have worked more than 24 hours in a day.”

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The Black Stars are heading to the 22nd edition of the Mundial as the lowest-ranked side following recent unimpressive performances.

Football fans in the country have raised major concerns about the quality of the team ahead of the global showpiece in the Gulf country.

However, Abdul Salam Yakubu has stated that a semi-final spot is an achievable target for team Ghana in the upcoming World Cup.

“I think this team will do better than the 2010 squad with the likes of Partey, Dede, Kudus, and others we will qualify easily from Group H,” he told Takoradi-based Westgold Radio.

“Their leader isn’t active like before, Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014 isn’t the same as now. South Korea isn’t a football nation. Uruguay has only Suarez and Cavani who are not dangerous like before so we can qualify at their expense.”

On the backroom staff, Abdul Salam Yakubu stated that he believes in the competence of the technical team led by Otto Addo to lead the Black Stars to the semi-finals.

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“The Black Stars will reach the semi-finals in Qatar with the kind of technical handlers we have, Otto Addo, George Boateng, and Chris Houghton are world-class coaches with experience and we saw how technically good they are in the second half of friendly Ghana played against Brazil. So we hope for the best and wish the black stars the best of luck,” he said.

The Black Stars have been paired in Group H alongside Portugal, South Korea, and Uruguay.

Ghana will arrive in Qatar on November 19. 

The celebration took place on Saturday May 14, 2022 at the studios of Asempa FM.

Abdul Salam was celebrated for his immense contribution to Ghana football.

The birthday celebrant was full of joy as his colleagues and some media practitioners joined him to celebrate his birthday.

Chief Executive Officer of New Edubiase Football Club, Alex Ackumey and other personalities also joined the celebration.