GFA 31st Congress: Proposals, How Voting Was Done & Integrity of Election Outcomes

Vian MensAugust 15, 2025

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The Ghana Football Association (GFA) held its 31st Ordinary Session of Congress on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence in Prampram. The annual event, mandated by Article 31(2) of the GFA Statutes (2019), brings together delegates to review progress, present financial and activity reports, and determine strategic directions for football in Ghana.

The gathering was attended by delegates from all 124 member associations and was considered one of the most significant in recent history due to proposals for major reforms. The official agenda was dominated by proposals to amend presidential term limits and increase gender representation at the top level. GFA officials, including GFA President Kurt Okraku, GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum, and GFA Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo, were present to lead the meeting.

Major Decisions and Outcomes From The Meeting

At the congress, two significant decisions were made:

Extension of Presidential Term Limits: The 31st Ordinary Congress voted to extend the term limit for the GFA president from two terms to three. Out of the 124 members, 114 voted in favor of the motion, while six voted against it, and three members abstained. Those who voted against the motion argued that two four-year terms were sufficient for a leader to implement their ideas. This new development brings the GFA’s governance structure in line with those of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Establishment of a Second Vice President: Congress also voted to accept a proposal for a second GFA Vice President, a position that will be held by a woman.

Implications Of Voting Results

In an interview, GFA Communications Director Henry Asante Twum addressed the implications of the vote, stating that the decision was not about GFA President Kurt Okraku seeking a third term. “The commentaries over the period have always focused on Kurt Okraku,” he said. He clarified that the vote simply amended the statutes to permit the possibility of a third term, bringing the GFA in line with international standards.

Validity of Voting Results

A misunderstanding erupted during the voting process at the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Congress, leading to a dispute over the final tally.

After GFA General Secretary Prosper Harrison Addo read the proposal on term limits, he called for a vote. He first asked those in favor to raise their hands for a count, followed by those who opposed the motion, and finally, those who wished to abstain.

It was at this point that a murmur began from one of the delegates, Ralph Gyamerah Esq. of Berekum Chelsea. Ralph, who had been prevented from speaking earlier in the session, attempted to voice his opinion once more but was again stopped by the General Secretary.

“If you want to make any contribution on the floor of congress, it is important you address the chairman of the congress and for the chair to give you the permission to speak,” the secretary stated. “At the moment, you don’t have the permission to speak. Can you sit down, please.”

As if this was not enough, the GFA Boss Kurt Okraku intervened, stating that Ralph wanted to make a comment on an issue he had already casted his vote. He ordered that Ralph shouldn’t be counted among those who chose to abstain from the vote as he had already voted in support of the presented proposals.

“Once you’ve cast your vote which was exactly what the law was requiring, there was no point in coming back to negate what you have done,” Kurt said.

Despite the objection, the General Secretary declared the final results: 114 members voted in favor, 6 voted against, and 3 members abstained. He confirmed that the 114 votes in favor represented 91.94% of the total, which far exceeded the 75% requirement for the proposal to be passed. “So the vote is carried,” the secretary announced.

The results of the Congress have faced significant backlash, with many observers questioning the validity of the vote due to several incidents. Critics have pointed to the following issues:

The decision to vote on multiple proposals as a single package.
The media were not permitted to enter the congress room, except the communication team of the GFA
For the first time, activity reports were presented via video on a projector instead of the traditional text format.
Ralph Gyamerah, a delegate from Berekum Chelsea, was prevented from speaking on two separate occasions during the session.

Why Proposals Were Bound Together

The GFA Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, defended the decision to vote on multiple proposals at once, a process often referred to as “lamping” the votes. He stated that this practice is standard procedure.

“Indeed the proposal came together and it will be approved together. The same is done in FIFA. Same is done in CAF,” he explained. “Last year 2024 at Bangkok the FIFA brought a number of amendments contained together and we voted only once. CAF will be doing amendment in October. Please watch out for it. It will be done together.”

According to the Secretary, the only way to have the proposals split and voted on separately would have been for a member to submit a written request to the GFA beforehand. He confirmed that the GFA, however, received no such requests or counter-proposals after the official notice for the congress was sent out.

The lamping of the vote has a created a misunderstanding within the football and media space as it obviously created no chance for electorates to choose which of the proposals they supported and which they did not. Once you choose to accept one, you automatically accept all. Most people including football lovers and sports analysts have pointed out the idea as the GFA’s strategy to manipulate outcomes from the election in its favor.

Key Proposals Voted On

The proposals that were voted on together at the 31st GFA Congress included:

The creation of a second Vice President position specifically for a woman, which was accepted by FIFA.
An amendment to establish a clear line of succession, stating that the Vice President will act in the President’s absence, and the Second Vice President will act in the First Vice President’s absence. This was also accepted by FIFA.
The extension of the presidential term limit to a maximum of three terms. This aligns with FIFA’s rules, which specify that no president or executive should serve more than three terms, whether consecutive or not. This was also accepted by FIFA.
An increase in the number of members on the Executive Council, a proposal that was opposed by FIFA.
An increase in the size of the Congress to include the remaining women’s premier league clubs, an additional slot for each regional football association, and other new memberships for constituent bodies. This proposal was also not accepted by FIFA

Is There Hope For A Change Even After The Vote?

According to the GFA Secretary, Prosper Harrison Addo, CAF will be doing amendments in accordance with the proposals they had just voted on in October, and the amendments will be done together, just as the voting was done together.

However, Addo noted that there is a possibility for individual consideration if a member had formally requested a split of the proposals prior to August 12, 2025, the date of the vote. In the absence of such a prior written request, the voting outcomes and subsequent decision-making will remain unchanged.