FIFA confirms receipt of petition against GFA President, may take action

The World Football governing body, FIFA, has acknowledged receiving a petition filed against Kurt E.S. Okraku, president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), alleging that he violated the organization’s statutes.

According to FIFA, the petition filed by a Whistle-blower, Akwasi Ossei Nkrumah was received
on Friday, July 7, 2023, revealing that the outfit may initiate preliminary investigations into the breach of Statutes as claimed in the petition.

“Following an evaluation of the documents and information submitted, the Secretariat may initiate preliminary investigations into a potential breach of the FCE following instructions from the Chairperson of the Investigatory Chamber in accordance with Article 61 FCE,” portion of the confirmation email to Joy FM’s Muftawu Nabila Abdulai said.

“We are not in a position to provide you any further information regarding the state of the proceedings (if any),” it stated.

On Friday, July 7, 2023, media reports suggested that one Akwasi Ossei Nkrumah filed a petition at the FIFA Ethics Committee, enumerating the following:

(a) Breach of Article 25 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2023 (Forgery and Falsification)

(b) Breach of Article 20 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2023 (Conflict of Interest)

(c) Breach of Article 26 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2023 (Abuse of Position)

(d) Breach of Article l6 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2023 (Duty of loyalty)

(e) Breach of Article 30 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, 2023 (Manipulation of Football Matches or Competitions)

He alleged that the GFA President, Mr Okraku, is the director of Dreams Football Club, a Ghana Premier League Club, and acts same for Proton Sports Services, a player and match agency contrary to the FIFA Statutes.

Ossei Nkrumah also listed a plethora of things he claims the GFA President is engaged in the detriment of football development in Ghana.

During the GFA 29th Ordinary Congress in Kumasi on July 10, Kurt sought to suggest he was been witch-hunted by members of the football ecosystem, stating that, “…by virtue of where I sit, I hold files that can defame and malign people in Ghana football ecosystem. But I would not do that.”

Kurt Okraku was voted president of GFA in October 2019, and he’s seeking re-election for a second tenure in office.