Warring rugby officials smoke peace pipe
After more than six years of bitter feuds, court injunctions and administrative paralysis, calm has finally returned to Ghana Rugby.
The sport’s warring factions have withdrawn all legal cases, bringing long-awaited peace to one of Ghana’s most troubled sporting federations.
The breakthrough follows the mass withdrawal of over 30 court cases last week involving key stakeholders within the rugby fraternity, a move that signals the dawn of unity and progress for the sport.
Both the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the National Sports Authority (NSA) have since been officially notified of the development.
The peace process was brokered by Alhaji Kamal Sulley, a GOC Board Member and President of the Ghana Canoeing and Rowing Federation, who painstakingly mediated between the rival camps.
Last Thursday, Alhaji Sulley visited both the GOC headquarters and the NSA offices to formally present the Terms of Settlement from the courts to the two bodies that exercise oversight and regulatory authority over sports federations in the country.
A joint press conference is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, at the GOC headquarters in Accra, where all parties will publicly affirm their commitment to the peace deal and outline plans for a united path forward.
Years of turmoil
Ghana Rugby’s internal conflict dates back to the early days of Herbert Mensah’s presidency of the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU).
What began as administrative disagreements soon escalated into a protracted legal battle, with factions filing a flurry of lawsuits and counter-suits — more than 31 cases in total.
Despite the turmoil, Mr Mensah continued to steer the affairs of the sport until his elevation to the presidency of Rugby Africa in 2023, which further intensified calls from some quarters for his removal from the local body.
At one point, court injunctions stalled attempts to elect a successor, but the faction aligned with Mr Mensah — backed by the NSA — pressed ahead to conduct elections in March this year, where former national player and women’s rugby advocate, Rafatu Inusah, was elected unopposed as the new President, alongside a fresh board.
New chapter begins
With the final tranche of court cases withdrawn last Wednesday, stakeholders believe the path is now clear for rugby to thrive again.
At the NSA, Alhaji Sulley presented the official court documents to Director-General, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, while GOC General Secretary, Muniru Kassim, received copies of the Terms of Settlement at the GOC offices.
“As we speak today, Ghana Rugby has no court issue. All the cases have been withdrawn, and all parties are willing to unite to work for the progress of the sport in the country,” said Alhaji Sulley.
“As regulators of sports in Ghana, we are here to present the Terms of Settlement signed by all interested parties.”
In response, Mr Ampofo Ankrah lauded the mediator for his exemplary leadership and called for similar interventions in other federations grappling with disputes.
“I would like to commend you for your great work because I came into office to meet a lot of legal issues in several federations — rugby alone had 31 cases,” he revealed.
“We’re hoping we can lean on your experience to help resolve problems in other federations like table tennis and swimming, which are currently in court. We must find ways to resolve our differences without resorting to legal battles. I really appreciate the work you’ve done.”
The resolution of the long-running impasse marks a turning point for Ghana Rugby, whose popularity has been growing steadily across the country in recent years.
With unity restored, officials and players alike now look ahead to rebuilding structures, reviving competitions, and restoring Ghana’s status among Africa’s emerging rugby nations.
