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| Kurt Okraku |
Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku is set to become the sixth Ghanaian to serve on the CAF Executive Committee as he runs unopposed in Wednesday’s elections in Cairo.
Okraku has arrived in Egypt for CAF’s 14th General Assembly and led a meeting with the WAFU B delegation on Monday to outline key regional football objectives ahead of the elections. He is contesting unopposed on the ticket of WAFU B, a bloc that includes strong footballing nations such as Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
His confirmation will place him among past Ghanaian representatives on the CAF Executive Committee, a list that includes Ohene Djan, Kobina Hagan, Nana Fredua Mensah, Samuel Okyere, and Kwesi Nyantakyi. Unlike Okraku, his predecessors had varying degrees of government backing during their tenure.
Ohene Djan wielded considerable influence, enjoying strong support from Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Nana Fredua Mensah, who served as GFA Chairman from 1966 to 1970, also secured a place on the CAF committee. Samuel Okyere, who had two stints as GFA Chairman, held the CAF post for four years.
Kwesi Nyantakyi’s rise to CAF’s top ranks was heavily supported by the Ghanaian government. Ahead of the 2011 elections, then-Vice President John Mahama publicly endorsed him, urging CAF delegates to vote in his favour.
Sports Minister Clement Kofi Humado also pledged full government backing, while Deputy Minister Nii Nortey Duah travelled to Sudan to support his campaign.
Okraku, however, is entering the CAF Executive Committee without evident government endorsement. Since he was elected GFA President in 2019, he has risen from being an outsider to an influential figure in African football governance.
Kur Okraku's unopposed candidacy secures his place in CAF’s leadership, marking another milestone in his administrative career.
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