Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has congratulated Kurt E.S Okraku on his election as the new leader of the country’s most favourite sport, football.
The ex-sports journalist, 48, received a 93-vote endorsement after three rounds of voting before attaining the position as the 24th president of the Ghana Football Association.
Okraku led throughout the rounds.
Candidates Fred Pappoe, Amanda Clinton and George Ankoma Mensah fell off after the first process.
The second round saw Kurt Okraku take a commanding lead with 59 votes (from 44) but still fell short of the 50 +1% requirement.
And his closest contender and immediate-past vice president of the GFA – George Afriyie, having managed to only increase his tally by three votes (from 40), magnanimously conceded defeat leading to an endorsement process in the third.
In a congratulatory message later on Friday, Ghana President Akufo-Addo wrote:
“I extend warm congratulations to Mr. Kurt E.S. Okraku on his election as the 24th President of the Ghana Football Association. He has earned the confidence and trust of the football fraternity, and his victory is well-deserved.
“Football remains the passion of our nation, and I urge all to rally behind him in realising his vision for the growth and development of Ghana football.”
Kurt Okraku previously served on the FA Cup Committee of the GFA initially as a member and later on as Chairman after becoming an Executive Committee (now Council) member of the football governing body.
He becomes the new head of Ghana football after an over one-year Fifa Normalization process that was borne out of the ousting of former GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi.
Nyantakyi, who had been in office since December 2005, was banned for life by Fifa following corruption allegations against him via a documentary in June 2018.
