Vincent Ekow Assafuah, Ranking Member of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, has issued a stark warning against Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku’s alleged pursuit of an unconstitutional third term.
The lawmaker asserts such a move would violate Article 37(4) of the GFA’s 2019 Statutes, which expressly limits the presidency to two terms.
Assafuah contends any attempt to circumvent this provision through statute amendments would “undermine both the rule of law and the democratic ethos” foundational to the GFA’s post-reform identity.
In a detailed social media statement, the MP characterized the GFA as a national institution that must never serve as “a vehicle for individual elevation.”
He cautioned that entrenching personal rule would destabilize the organization and erode public trust, particularly after the systemic corruption exposed by the 2018 “Number 12” documentary that led to the GFA’s dissolution.
Assafuah further challenged unverified claims reportedly made by Okraku suggesting support from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) or government elements, branding such assertions “deeply irresponsible” for potentially dragging football back into partisan politics.
The legislator simultaneously questioned state broadcaster GBC’s coverage, accusing it of distorting facts to create an illusion of state backing for Okraku’s agenda.
This approach risks “politicising football governance and introducing partisan interests into a space that must remain independent, neutral, and merit-based,” Assafuah warned.
He emphasized that constitutional principles require power to be exercised within existing legal frameworks, not through statutes modified to suit officeholders’ ambitions.
The MP concluded with a call for leadership transition grounded in fairness, legality, and merit—stressing Ghanaian football deserves integrity over backroom constitutional manipulation.