Ex-GHALCA boss asks: Is there any leadership at the GFA?

Former Chairman of the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Joseph Yaw Appiah, has criticized the Ghana Football Association (GFA), describing them as "self-centered" in their management of the sport.

The Kurt Okraku-led administration has been in power for six years, having taken office in 2019, yet has failed to achieve any significant progress. 

Their leadership has faced persistent scrutiny, especially following the Black Stars' failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, marking their first absence from the tournament since 2004.

In an appearance on Prime Take, a sports programme on Joy Prime, Mr Appiah questioned the leadership of the GFA, asking, "Is there any leadership at the GFA?"

"They are self-centered, close circuit. Whatever they say, nobody can challenge it. When you sit down and watch things going on, at times you become sad. When you talk, they will call you to Ethics Committee," he told the host, Muftawu Nabila Abdulai.

He continued: "Look at the performance of the Black Stars, [other] national teams, do what is good if you don't want people to talk. Everybody is afraid to talk, including Team Managers because if you talk, your team will go [to] relegation."

Meanwhile, the country's football governing body is facing mounting pressure from Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak following the death of Francis Yaw Frimpong (Nana Pooley), a devoted Kotoko supporter, during a matchday 19 fixture between Kotoko and Nsoatreman.

Ghana’s two football powerhouses, Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, have set aside their historic rivalry to lead an unprecedented call for reform.

The traditional giants, whose rivalry is the lifeblood of Ghanaian football, have taken the lead in advocating for sweeping reforms. 

The two clubs have drafted a joint position paper demanding immediate and far-reaching changes to matchday security, insisting that Pooley’s death should serve as a defining moment, galvanising all stakeholders into decisive action.  

In response to the crisis, the GFA postponed all 20th-week Premier League fixtures to allow for extensive consultations with club executives, fan groups and law enforcement agencies.