The presidential seat of the Ghana Football Association is up for grabs and there are six people jostling for it.
From picking nomination forms amid pomp and pageantry to campaigns typified by trending hashtags and appealing slogans, the upcoming elections have the makings of the most historic and exciting in the country’s footballing history.
The sporting media have their lenses fixated on all the aspirants and they are definitely enjoying the attention and publicity but the journey to being a potential president of the GFA did not start overnight.
It has been a ‘long walk’ of ups and downs and www.ghanaweb.com takes you on a journey of how the seven aspirants reached their current level.
Kurt Okraku
A trained journalist from the Ghana Institute Journalism, Kurt worked with Groove FM, Universe and Hearts News before venturing into football administration.
He is also a product of the Manchester Trinity College, Emile Woolf College and the University of Liverpool where he obtained a Masters Degree in Football Management.
In 2009, Kurt formed his own club Dreams FC and has been acting as Executive CEO for the side.
Upon the return of the Ghana FA Cup, Kurt was appointed as chairman of the committee that oversee the competition, a position he held until the Anas Expose’ in 2008.
He was also a member of the Executive Committee from 2017 to 2018.
Nana Yaw Amponsah
Nana Yaw Amponsah is the Chairman of Division One Club, Phar Rangers FC and also a licensed players' agent/intermediary from 2008 to 2018.
He is holder of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Political Science from the University of Ghana and a Master's Degree in Sports Law and Practice from the Leicester DE Monort University, UK.
The founder of Founder of Cornny Drinks Limited is also the Director of Football for Phar Partnerships.
Nana Yaw has specialty in the areas of Commercial Aspects of Sports, Sports and Ethics, Sports Governance, Representing the Athlete/Player and Sports Regulatory Regimes & Sports Rights, and ambush marketing.
Amanda Clinton
The lawyer is the only female among the seven persons contesting the elections. Amanda was called the Ghanaian bar in 2009 and the English bar in 2006. She is also a founding partner of law firm, Clinton Consultancy.
At age 22 Amanda completed a Master of Science in African Politics at the University of London. She also trained as a pupil barrister at the Pump Court Chambers in London.
Amanda Clinton also served as a state attorney for 3 and half years. Amanda’s association with Ghana football came in the aftermath of the Anas’ Number12 documentary when she was engaged by the then Executive Committee in their bid to prevent the government from winding down the GFA.
She is also the legal representative of some aggrieved clients of Menzgold.
Ankomah Mensah
The legal practitioner is a Director of Accra based division three side Odorkor Kwashieman United and one of the relatively unknown faces in the elections.
He was called to Ghana bar in 1990 and is a Managing Partner of the Firm, Ankoma Mensah and Associates.
A product of St Thomas Acquinsas SHS, lawyer Ankomah graduated from the University of Ghana in 1987 and spent the following two years at the Ghana School of Law.
From 2007 to 2008, George Ankoma Mensah was the director of Sports for Assist International Limited, a company that sponsored the Black Maidens to qualify for the 2008 World Cup.
He was also vice president of the Ghana Bar Association Committee on children, women and minority rights from 2013-2015
George Afriyie
George Afriyie plays the dual role of CEO at Liberty Professionals and Okyeman Planners, a division one club.
Before his stint with Liberty and Okyeman Planners, George Afriyie also performed administrative duties at Accra Great Olympics and the defunct All Blacks.
With the national team, Afriyie has held management roles with the Black Meteors and Black Stars where he served chairman of the committee.
George Afriyie acted as vice president of the GFA from 2015 to 2018.
Fred Pappoe
Fred Pappoe is a board member of Ghana’s ‘wonder club’ Accra Great Olympics.
He was the vice president of the GFA from 2006 to 2012 and also led the Black Stars management committee from 2006 to 2010.
He received two Order of the Grand Medal Awards (Civil Division for Excellence in Sports) from former Presidents Kuffour and Atta Mills for his contribution to the growth of Ghana football.
Source: GNA
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