GFA delegates must elect selfless leader

A former vice chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Nana Yaw Owusu Akwanuasa, has implored the “kingmakers” who will elect the next GFA president on Friday to be selfless enough to consider a candidate with the capacity to transform Ghana football from its abysmal state into a formidable one capable of competing for honours on the international front.

“As they cast their votes on Friday, they should focus on a selfless leader who is capable of steering the affairs of the association from its deplorable state to a higher level.

This is because we have gone through a lot of turmoil in the recent past, and we need to put an end to it.

That is why I am appealing to the delegates to put their personal interests aside and consider the national interest when casting their votes,” Nana Owusu Akwanuasa told the Daily Graphic in an interview in Kumasi.

He said the sorry state of Ghana football made it imperative that the delegates vote for a candidate capable of transforming Ghana football from its present stage into a much more attractive one.

Expressing concerns about the war of words being used by some of the contestants against one another during the campaign, Nana Owusu said such contests should be devoid of mudslinging but should rather be a contest of the best ideas to salvage Ghana football.

“This is not a political party contest but a contest within a family, hence the need to avoid bitter rivalry that could create division among the contestants in the long run,” he advised.

On his expectations of the next GFA president, the former football administrator said the winner of Friday’s election should have the capacity to lift Ghana football from the doldrums back to its glory days.

It is essential that they (delegates) elect someone with competence and experience because Ghana football has gone through setbacks.

He should be capable of forging a united front in a tactical manner to run the affairs so we can regain our lost glory at the international level.

Nana Owusu Akwanuasa also advised the next GFA president to consider forming a “council of elders to support the FA leadership to run Ghana football at this citrical time, as such an advisory body can help resolve controversies and help keep the leadership in check.”

“With a properly constituted council of elders, dicey issues that may crop up among members could be settled amicably to make the association much more attractive to sponsors to promote Ghana football,” he advised.