The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has made important progress in bringing the Ghana Premier League (GPL) back to life, according to its president, Kurt Okraku.
The GFA President Mr Okraku stated that the domestic top flight has regained stability, improved its commercial appeal, and won back the interest of the public under his leadership.
He pointed to new partnerships with television stations as a major achievement. For the first time, every single league match is now broadcast, allowing fans across the country to watch their teams play.
Mr Okraku also highlighted the increase in funding for clubs and officials. At the start of the season, each club received one million Ghana cedis. The earnings for match referees and assistants have also gone up by more than 100 percent.
The financial rewards for success have also seen a major boost. The league champions will now receive two million Ghana cedis. In addition, the GFA is giving out more than nine million cedis in merit awards to the top 15 clubs. According to Mr Okraku, these figures have never been seen before in the history of Ghanaian football.
The GFA president also stressed that work is being done to improve stadium safety, facilities, and the overall quality of how the league is presented to the public. He pointed to the recent “Super Clash” match in Kumasi as a clear example of this progress.
However, Mr Okraku admitted that finding a headline sponsor for the league remains a challenge. He explained that the FA has chosen a model that pools resources together to help all clubs, rather than focusing only on securing one big sponsorship deal.
He also thanked the government for its support. He specifically mentioned the President, the Chief of Staff Jonas Debrah, and the Sports Ministry for helping to create an environment where the league can grow.
“Football is everything in Ghana,” Mr Okraku said. “When football thrives, there is peace, and we solve lots of problems on our streets.” He used these words to underline just how important a strong local league is, not just for sport, but for the country’s social and economic well-being.