The Ghana Football Association (GFA) is unlikely to be dissolved anytime soon despite mounting public pressure over the Black Stars' recent poor performance. Sports journalist Eric Eli Adzie has highlighted that dissolution requires a three-quarters majority vote from the GFA's own Congress, making it a challenging task. The GFA operates under its own constitution-backed statutes and governance structures, which must be followed for any move to dissolve the body.
According to Adzie, the GFA Statutes specify that a specially convened Congress with a three-quarters majority vote is necessary for dissolution. This poses a significant hurdle as the body responsible for the Black Stars' performance is also the one that would have to vote itself out of existence. The GFA's responsibilities extend beyond the senior men's team, encompassing clubs, Regional Football Associations, schools, colleges, players, referees, coaches, and administrators of beach soccer and futsal.
The GFA's mandate includes running the Ghana Premier League, the Division One League, the FA Cup, and the country's youth and women's national teams. Adzie argues that poor results by the Black Stars alone do not justify treating the entire federation as collapsed or illegitimate. He emphasizes that accountability should be pursued through the 1992 Constitution, the GFA Statutes, and other applicable laws rather than through blanket demands to scrap the federation.
Adzie also pushed back on calls for GFA President Kurt Okraku to resign solely due to the team's results, stating that sporting disappointment does not amount to evidence of wrongdoing. Legitimate questions can still be raised about the management of the national teams, technical direction, player development, scouting, and investment. However, these concerns should be addressed through proper channels rather than automatic blame.
The row over the GFA's future comes amid mounting pressure on Okraku following the Black Stars' recent poor run under former head coach Carlos Queiroz, who has since left the role. Sports Minister Kofi Adams has now joined the GFA in the search for Queiroz's replacement, marking a notable shift after earlier friction between the ministry and the federation.
Queiroz has moved on to a continental stage, invited by the Confederation of African Football to speak at its Strategy Conference in Cape Verde on the future of football on the continent. Meanwhile, the Black Stars remain without a permanent coach and without a win. The debate over who is responsible for the team's decline continues alongside the search for Queiroz's successor.
For ordinary fans, the practical upshot is that the GFA is not going anywhere soon through dissolution, despite public frustration. Any such move would need backing from the clubs, regional associations, and other member bodies that make up its own Congress. Adzie's statement did not provide a timeline for when or whether such a Congress might be convened, and no date has been given publicly for when a new Black Stars coach will be named.
Key points
- The GFA requires a three-quarters majority vote from its own Congress for dissolution.
- The GFA's responsibilities extend beyond the senior men's team to various other stakeholders and competitions.
- Accountability should be pursued through proper channels rather than automatic blame or blanket demands.
