Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku is set to be appointed as one of CAF’s new Vice-Presidents as the continental body moves to restructure its leadership following last month’s divisive elections.
Okraku’s imminent elevation comes as CAF President Patrice Motsepe seeks to fill vacant Vice-President positions and restore unity within African football after a bitterly contested FIFA Council election. The appointments are expected to be ratified today during a CAF Executive Committee meeting in Accra.
The reshuffle has become necessary after four of CAF’s five previous Vice-Presidents left their roles. Augustin Senghor of Senegal resigned in protest, accusing Morocco of dominating CAF’s internal politics. Meanwhile, Ahmed Yahya (Mauritania), Waberi Souleiman (Djibouti) and Kanizat Ibrahim (Comoros) all secured seats on FIFA’s top governing body, thus vacating their CAF Vice-Presidencies. Cameroon’s Seidou Mbombo Njoya, who was Fourth Vice-President, was also ousted after being dropped by his national association.
Okraku’s expected appointment is particularly significant for Ghana — and Anglophone Africa — following the sharp decline in influence of traditional powerhouses like Nigeria, whose candidate Amaju Pinnick failed to retain his FIFA Council seat.
With Ghana now the only Anglophone giant maintaining a foothold at CAF’s top table, Okraku’s role will be critical in ensuring balanced representation in African football's highest structures.
Motsepe’s new list of Vice-Presidents is carefully constructed to pacify growing tensions after the elections, which saw Morocco-aligned candidates dominate proceedings. Other nominees alongside Okraku include Mustapha Ishola Raji (Liberia), Kossi Gbezonde Akpovy (Togo), Wallace Karia (Tanzania), Mohamed Samir Sobha (Mauritius), Walter Nyamilandu Manda (Malawi), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon), Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon) and Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (DR Congo) for the women’s seat.
The selections aim to restore a delicate regional and linguistic balance within CAF’s leadership — especially among Anglophone and Francophone federations who expressed frustration after the elections tilted heavily toward North African influence.
For Okraku, the appointment caps a steady rise through the ranks of African football governance since his election as GFA President in 2019. He has also served on CAF’s powerful Executive Committee since March.
As CAF gears up for major projects, including preparations for the expanded FIFA World Cup and the next Africa Cup of Nations, Okraku’s presence will be vital in championing Ghanaian and West African interests at the heart of decision-making.
However, challenges lie ahead. Restoring cohesion within CAF’s leadership and navigating the shifting political alliances across African football will test the new Vice-Presidents’ ability to work together.
For now, Ghana can take pride in Okraku’s continued ascent — a symbol of resilience and ambition as the country seeks to maintain its standing at the top of African football.