By Kwame Bediako
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has amended its statutes to extend the presidential term limit from two to three four-year terms, following a decisive vote at the 31st Ordinary Congress in Pampram on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.
Of the 123 delegates who took part, 114 voted in favour of the change, six opposed it, and three abstained, formally altering the 2019 rules that previously capped the presidency at two terms.
Under the amendment, incumbent president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku, first elected in 2019, will be eligible to contest a third term when his current mandate expires in 2027.
The change was presented by proponents as a mechanism to ensure continuity in leadership, allowing long-term projects and reforms to be seen through to completion without the disruption that can accompany frequent changes at the top.
Supporters at the congress argued the extension aligns the GFA with other football associations that permit three-term presidencies and will strengthen the association’s ability to professionalise and develop football across all levels in Ghana.
Delegates cited ongoing initiatives in youth development, league restructuring, and referee welfare as programmes that benefit from sustained oversight.
Critics, however, warned that the amendment could concentrate power and limit opportunities for fresh leadership and new ideas.
Some delegates and observers urged the GFA to pair the extended term limit with stronger governance safeguards, transparency measures, and robust checks and balances to prevent any erosion of democratic accountability.
With the amendment now ratified, attention in the football community turns to how the new term limit will affect the GFA’s strategic direction and internal governance.
