Former GHALCA chairman, Alhaji Raji, has expressed his belief that Kurt Okraku’s tenure as President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has not been as poor as some critics claim. Speaking on Asempa FM, Alhaji Raji acknowledged the struggles of Ghana’s senior national team, the Black Stars, but maintained that Okraku’s leadership has brought some positives to Ghanaian football.

Elected in 2019 and now serving his second term, Okraku has faced criticism, particularly after the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and their back-to-back group stage exits at the 2021 and 2023 AFCON tournaments. Their early exit at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar also added to the scrutiny.

Despite these setbacks, Raji pointed to the successes of other national teams under Okraku’s leadership, particularly the Black Queens’ qualification for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco. This marks the first time the Black Queens have qualified for WAFCON since 2018.

“I don’t believe Kurt Okraku’s administration has been bad or that football has collapsed under his leadership,” Raji stated. “The main challenge is the poor performance of the Black Stars. Other than that, he has not been a bad GFA president.”

As Ghanaian football fans continue to debate the direction of the sport under Okraku’s leadership, Alhaji Raji’s comments add a nuanced perspective to the ongoing conversation.