Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku says good governance, transparency, accountability and institutional integrity remain the foundation of efforts to create a stronger and more credible football administration in Ghana.
Speaking at the 32nd Ordinary Congress at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, Simeon-Okraku said the Association had made significant progress during the past 12 months.
He also acknowledged that the work of transforming the GFA into a stronger institution was still continuing, with further development required across the organisation.
“Over the past twelve months, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to the principles of good governance, transparency, accountability, and institutional integrity,” President Simeon-Okraku told Congress.
“These values have not merely guided our administration; they have become the foundation upon which we continue to build a stronger, more credible, and more respected Ghana Football Association.”
The GFA president made governance the central theme of his assessment of the Association’s work, arguing that the progress of Ghana football depended on institutions operating with credibility, accountability and integrity.
His comments placed the principles of administration alongside the sporting and developmental responsibilities of the GFA. The Association’s governance agenda, he said, covered more than its internal structures and processes.
It extended across the full scope of the game in Ghana, including grassroots football, professional competitions, the national teams, refereeing, infrastructure and measures designed to protect the integrity of competitions.
“From grassroots football to the professional leagues; from the successes and development of our national teams to the nurturing of young talent; from enhancing refereeing standards to expanding football infrastructure; and from strengthening governance to protecting the integrity of our competitions, the GFA has remained firmly committed to its mandate of developing, promoting, and safeguarding football for the benefit of every Ghanaian,” he said.
The address presented the GFA’s progress over the previous year as part of a wider institutional programme rather than a completed process. While highlighting what had been achieved, Simeon-Okraku stressed the continuing importance of building an administration that could command greater credibility and respect.
The 32nd Congress therefore served two purposes. It gave the GFA an opportunity to review its performance over the past 12 months, while also providing a platform to determine the direction of the next stage of Ghana football’s development.
Simeon-Okraku’s remarks linked that future direction to the continued application of good governance principles throughout the Association. Transparency and accountability were presented as requirements for the administration’s work, while institutional integrity was identified as essential to safeguarding the game and strengthening confidence in its structures.
The president’s assessment covered the GFA’s responsibilities from the development of young talent and grassroots football to the running of professional leagues and national teams. It also included efforts to improve refereeing standards, expand football infrastructure and protect the integrity of competitions.
Together, those areas formed the basis of the Association’s stated commitment to developing, promoting and safeguarding football for the benefit of every Ghanaian.
