Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku has made a sudden rise in football administration as he has joined the aficionado of the game by becoming a member of the Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following a recent decision of Africa’s football governing body.
The Ghana FA President is among five leaders of Africa’s regional bodies being co-opted to serve on the CAF Executive Committee. CECAFA boss Wallace Karia of Tanzania, UNIFFAC leader Jean Guy Blaise Mayolas from DR Congo, WAFU A leader Mustapha Raji of Liberia, and Libya FA President Alshelmani Abdulhakim Abraheem of UNAF are among those named. COSAFA elects a new leader in the coming days.
The decision to move the astute administrator to be among the top aficionados of football on the African continent marks a sharp rise for Ghana Football Association (GFA) President.
The 50-year-old, who is just getting into his third year as the GFA leader, has been recognized for the impressive work he has done with Ghana in a short time and also in West Africa as the President of the WAFU B regional body.
The tireless work of the regional bodies and their role in the development of the game across the continent has resulted in CAF, led by South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe, co-opt leaders of the regional bodies to serve on the powerful Executive Committee.
The decision means Okraku, who is the President of WAFU B, has become a member of the Executive Committee which gives him the opportunity to directly serve on the continent and contribute to the development of the game at the highest level.
The Ghana FA president has already attended a few meetings of the CAF Executive Committee following the decision to co-opt leaders of the regional bodies.
Okraku has chalked massive impressive feats since taking charge as the GFA President in just over two years and as the leader of WAFU B in just one year and has already made his presence felt during CAF meetings.
He has been credited for the quick return of Ghana to the top of African football by their recent qualification to the 2022 World Cup after recent setbacks that led to the setting up of a Normalisation Committee and has put the country on the right track since winning the GFA election just over two years ago.
Last year he was named as the new President of (WAFU) Zone B after he was unanimously approved as the new leader of the regional body by the all seven member associations.
He took charge following the decision of the incumbent Djibrilla Hima Hamidou to step down from the position, one year before the end of his mandate.
The President of the Niger Football Federation stood down from the leadership position, paving the way for Okraku to continue the remaining term of office.
The Ghanaian stood unchallenged as all the seven countries in the zone approved him as their new leader before fresh elections are held.
The famous former sports journalist holds an MBA in Football Management from the prestigious Liverpool University in the United Kingdom.
