Five to vie for FA chairmanship

Accra, Dec 10, GNA - Five candidates have filed their nominations to contest the presidency of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), come December 30.

The filing of nominations, which hit the deadline on Friday, December 9, saw Mr Kwesi Nyantakyie, Acting Chairman and former Vice Chairman of the GFA, Mr Yussif Adam Ibrahim, founder and bank roller of sensational premier league side, Real Sportive, who was Chairman of the extinct Executive Council of the GFA making known their intention to compete for the position.

Mr Joseph Ade Coker, a former Vice Chairman of the GFA, in 1994 and former Chairman of Accra Great Olympics, has also made a surprise entry into the race after long absence from active football administration. Also competing is Mr Kojo Bonsu, Publisher of the "Agoo" Magazine and a former representative of ADIDAS, sports kits manufacturers, who also claims to have international links with the likes of Roman Abrahamovic, owner and president of Chelsea, Glen Hoddle former English coach among others.

All the four, are regular figures on the local soccer scene, while Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei, Chief Executive Officer of the Vellex-Lease-Equip Limited, dealers in copier leasing rental and maintenance regarded as an outsider, has also filed his nominations to compete for the football top job.

Mr Emmanuel Gyimah, Deputy General Secretary of the GFA confirmed the receipt of the nomination papers of the five candidates. He said the nominees would be screened and vetted by the close of next week after which members of congress would be informed on the elections.

The historic election would mark the first time the presidency of the FA would be decided through elections.

In previous years, the government through the Ministry of Education and Sports nominated candidates to be endorsed by the Executive Council. The recent constitutional reforms embarked on by the FA, made ascendancy to the hot seat an elective one.

This followed a request by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) for reforms in the statutes of the FA, to conform to international standards after former Chairman Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe's FA, questioned certain structures in the former statutes.