GBA elections: Candidates face scrutiny as power battle enters decisive phase
The race to control Ghana boxing has entered a critical stage, with candidates contesting next week’s Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) elections subjected to intense vetting as the sport edges closer to the end of the Interim Management Committee’s reign.
The Ghana Boxing Interim Management Committee (GBIMC) has begun screening aspirants for key executive positions ahead of the June 4 Elective Congress, with the final list of approved candidates expected later this week after what officials described as a rigorous verification process.
The first batch of contenders — those seeking the influential positions of President, First Vice-President and Second Vice-President — appeared before the Vetting Committee chaired by GBIMC Chairman, Samir Captan, last Friday at the Accra Sports Stadium.
At the centre of attention is the battle for the presidency, where businessman and Cabic Boxing Promotions & Management Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ivan Bruce-Cudjoe, is challenging former boxer and ex-GBA First and Second Vice-President, Rabbon Dodoo, for control of the nation’s troubled but commercially significant boxing industry.
Both men faced detailed scrutiny from the committee as the GBIMC intensified efforts to ensure the next administration inherits a cleaner and more professionally governed sport.
The contest for First Vice-President also drew experienced names from the boxing fraternity, with respected trainer Ernest Ofori and veteran referee and judge Roger Barnor, a ring official with more than three decades of experience, undergoing vetting.
For the Second Vice-President position, former GBA Board Member, Alhaji Moshud Zaid, and Civil Engineer and Cabic Promotions Executive Director, Ellis Quaye, also appeared before the panel.
However, one notable absentee was Ghanaian-American businessman and Bishop Boxing Promotions President and CEO, Dave Bishop, who is currently outside the country.
The Graphic Sports understands that while some candidates have been asked to return today, Monday, May 25, to provide additional information and clarify issues raised during the exercise, Bishop is expected to undergo his vetting virtually via video call.
Attention now shifts to candidates contesting for Treasurer and Executive Board Member positions, whose vetting is scheduled for today.
Competition for the four Executive Board slots is expected to be particularly fierce after seven aspirants officially filed nominations before last Tuesday’s deadline.
Those in contention include veteran promoter Alhaji Tofiki Muritala, emerging matchmaker Yusif Mubarak Nanor, ring announcer Samuel Opoku Amoah, military officer and boxing referee, judge and trainer Bernard Tetteh Nartey, experienced referee and judge Shadrack Acquaye, Master Scorekeeper Derek Nii Asai Ankrah, and respected world title trainer Lawrence Carl Lokko.
In contrast, the Treasurer race appears straightforward, with multilingual referee and judge Nathaniel Awuku Obeng standing unopposed.
Under the GBIMC roadmap, the publication of the final list of qualified candidates will officially trigger the campaign period, which runs until June 3, before delegates head to the polls the following day.
The elections represent the final and perhaps most consequential phase of the Interim Management Committee’s mandate after taking temporary control of Ghana boxing last September following its inauguration by the Minister of Sports, Kofi Iddie Adams.
The committee was tasked with restoring credibility to the sport, sanitising the boxing ecosystem and introducing stronger medical and safety protocols amid growing concerns over boxer welfare and governance standards.
With those reforms now taking shape, the June 4 Congress is expected to determine who inherits responsibility for steering Ghana boxing into its next era.
