GFA courts Parliament to intervene to lift the ban on sports sponsorship by alcoholic beverages

Ghana Football Association President Kurt Okraku has urged Parliament's Youth and Sports Committee to intervene and remove restrictions on sports sponsorship by alcoholic beverage companies. He claims the current ban is costing Ghanaian sports significant financial support, citing a $5 million annual sponsorship deal with Guinness Ghana Limited that was abandoned due to FDA regulations.

The Ghanaian FA President appeared before the Committee, explaining that Guinness had expressed interest in heavily investing in the Ghana Premier League, but the deal fell through after the FDA rejected the proposal. Okraku emphasized that removing the FDA's authority to approve or reject sponsorship from alcoholic beverage companies is crucial for sports development.

He argued that while international football leagues benefit from sponsorship deals with major alcohol brands, Ghanaian sports are missing out on similar opportunities. Apart from sponsorship, Okraku identified poor playing surfaces, inadequate stadium facilities, and limited investment in technical development as major obstacles to sustained success for Ghana's national football teams.

He urged the Committee to address these issues by strengthening grassroots football, investing in youth development, improving coach education, and enhancing scouting systems and stadium infrastructure. Without sustained investment in these areas, the country will struggle to achieve consistent success in major football competitions, Okraku warned.