Kurt Okraku challenges government over lack of investment in Ghana football

Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has criticized the government's commitment to the long-term development of football in Ghana, stating that sustained success requires more than just efforts from the football governing body itself. In recent years, Ghanaian football has seen a decline, with various national teams and the Ghana Premier League facing increased scrutiny.

While much of the criticism has been directed at the GFA's management and development of the game, Okraku appeared before Parliament’s Select Committee on Sports on Wednesday to challenge the government to shoulder greater responsibility. He argued that the lack of essential infrastructure and investment continues to hinder the country's football ambitions.

Okraku acknowledged the GFA's role in providing logistics, improving playing surfaces, securing stadium facilities, and recruiting competent technical staff. However, he emphasized that these measures alone are insufficient for sustained success. "If we are to be honest, there is a lot more that brings sustained success in football.

This includes continuous investment in grassroots football, continuous investment in coach education, exposing coaches to the international market, good scouting, and good facilities (football pitches) for the kids and senior teams to play. All this we don’t have in our country," Okraku stated.