7 years of Kurt vs 12 years of Nyantakyi: How do GFA’s last two presidents compare?
Kwesi Nyantakyi and Kurt Okraku have presided over two of the most consequential periods in Ghana football, but their records tell markedly different stories.
Nyantakyi spent almost 12 years at the helm of the Ghana Football Association, from December 2005 until June 2018, while Okraku has been president since October 2019.
Comparing the two administrations is therefore not entirely like-for-like, but seven years into Okraku’s tenure, the contrast across Ghana’s football landscape is worth examining.
The Premier League
The Ghana Premier League under Nyantakyi had identifiable headline sponsors, stronger television visibility and greater commercial attention.
First Capital Plus Bank signed a five-year, $10 million sponsorship deal in 2014, while the league was also broadcast by SuperSport.
Under Okraku, the league has lost that commercial momentum.
The GPL has been without a headline sponsor since the 2022/23 season, with the GFA admitting in 2026 that efforts were still ongoing to secure one.
The problems go beyond sponsorship.
Poor playing surfaces, controversial refereeing and dwindling stadium attendance have become defining issues.
As recently as September 2026, President John Mahama warned that poor refereeing and perceived match manipulation were driving supporters away from stadiums and hurting club revenues.
The Black Stars
This is arguably the biggest difference.
Nyantakyi oversaw Ghana’s qualification for the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, including the historic quarter-final run in South Africa in 2010.
Under Okraku, Ghana has also reached two World Cups, including the 2026 tournament, but the Black Stars have suffered a dramatic decline at the AFCON.
Ghana exited the 2021 and 2023 tournaments at the group stage before failing to qualify for the 2025 edition altogether, the country’s first absence since 2004.
The latest crisis has only deepened the concerns, with Carlos Queiroz leaving after Ghana began the 2027 AFCON qualifiers with defeats to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.
Youth football
Nyantakyi’s era produced one of Ghana football’s greatest achievements: the Black Satellites became the first African team to win the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009.
Ghana also maintained regular appearances at the U-20 World Cup. 
Under Okraku, the Black Satellites won the 2021 U-20 AFCON but have since struggled to translate that into global qualification.
Ghana missed the 2025 U-20 World Cup after losing to Egypt in the quarter-finals of the U-20 AFCON, the fifth consecutive U-20 World Cup the country had failed to reach.
The same concerns extend to the Olympic pathway, with Ghana failing to return to the men’s Olympic football tournament.
Women’s football
This is where Okraku’s administration has a stronger story.
The Black Queens have experienced a genuine resurgence.
After missing the 2022 WAFCON, Ghana returned to the tournament, won bronze at the 2024 edition and have now secured a place in the 2027 Women’s World Cup inter-confederation playoffs.
The Women’s Premier League has also attracted serious commercial investment.
Infrastructure and fans
Nyantakyi’s period coincided with major investment around Ghana’s football infrastructure and the development of the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence.
Okraku has overseen projects at Prampram, including floodlights, a gymnasium and planned accommodation. 
But the wider infrastructure picture remains troubling, with poor pitches continuing to affect the domestic game and major stadiums falling into disrepair.
And perhaps the clearest symbol of the difference is the supporter.
The league that once commanded significant commercial and television attention is now struggling to put fans back into stadiums.
After seven years of Okraku and 12 years of Nyantakyi, the comparison is therefore not simply about who stayed longer.
It is about what Ghana football looked like at the end of each era and on the league, Black Stars, youth football, infrastructure and supporter interest, the deterioration under the current administration is difficult to ignore.
FKA/AM
Source: www.ghanaweb.com« Previous |
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