KEN’S CORNER: Ghana’s Division One League ameliorating under Kurt Okraku’s GFA

I have been a huge follower of the Ghana’s Division One League for decades and I can attest to the fact that the league which was on the decline under previous administrations is currently fast improving under the administration of Kurt Edwin Simon Okraku as President of the Ghana Football Association.

Since ascending the throne as the overlord of Ghana football on 25th October, 2019, Kurt Okraku and his subordinates at the Ghana Football Association have exerted a colossal number of initiatives and investments to make Ghana football, particularly, the Division One League a higher quality.

The Ghana FA under Kurt Okraku has led the way in strengthening the football sector in Ghana with several transformations and developmental interventions on a national scale.

Due to the suspension of football as a result of the infamous Anas Exposé which uncovered some rot in Ghana football, and the subsequent establishment of the Normalization Committee in lieu of an existing and functional football federation, football activities were severely starved for growth.

The progress in the administration of Ghana football was further impeded and truncated due to the global COVID-19 Pandemic.

Despite all these, I can boldly apprise that the Division One League has seen significant improvement, particularly in competitions and fundings.

Below is a summary of all interventions and policies instituted by the Ghana FA that I can recall since Kurt Okraku took over in October, 2019.

As part of efforts to make the league competitive, the Ghana FA introduced the off-season sponsored dDOL Super Cup competition which was launched on August 11, 2021.

The Division One League Super Cup was specially created for the best performing clubs in the second tier league to take off in September 2021 with Daboase-based Skyy FC winning the maiden edition.

Aside the creation of the Super Cup, the Ghana FA has made huge financial investments in the division, announcing an established merit award of Gh¢50,000 plus 40 gold medals for first position in each zone while the second and third position in each zone will pocket Gh¢30,000 plus silver medals and bronze medals respectively.

Other financial investments made by the Ghana FA under Kurt Okraku includes a total of Gh¢285,000 as incentives for DOL clubs with an additional Gh¢25,000 for each zonal winner to prepare for the Ghana Premier League season upon qualification which started from the 2019/20 league season.

To unease the financial burden on clubs after the coronavirus pandemic, the Ghana FA gave USD$75,000 from CAF and FIFA covid-19 relief fund to all the 48 Division One League clubs and Gh¢470,000 from the Government of Ghana as covid-19 support package allocated to all DOL clubs.

I can recall that prior to the commencement of the 2022/23 league season, the Ghana FA was able to secure a headline sponsor for the Division One League with Access Bank in a deal worth USD$250,000, a thing that has eluded the second-tier league for a very long time.

What marvels me is the Gh¢15,000 worth of fuel for each of the 48 clubs and the Gh¢5,000 worth of shopping vouchers for the clubs. Also to ensure a bribe-free league, the Ghana FA under Kurt Okraku has also absorbed all officiating fees for referees and match commissioners to the tune of Gh¢2,647,500 for each football season.

I have not forgotten the fully paid expenses for fifteen heads of division one league clubs to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where Ghana was eliminated in the group stage.

The production and streaming of 120 division one league games by the Ghana FA to make the league accessible on television and online has been magnificent.

With what I have mentioned above, I think the Ghana FA under Kurt Okraku, a University of Liverpool alumni, is improving the division one league. Cheers!