Ghana Football Association
| CAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1957 |
| FIFA affiliation | 1958 |
| CAF affiliation | 1958 |
| President | Kwesi Nyantakyi (2006-) |
The Ghana Football Association is the governing body of association football in Ghana, based in Accra.[1][2][3]
History
Gold Coast Football Association
Ghana Football Association (GFA) is the successor of the Gold Coast Football Association which used to be the governing body for football in Ghana, as well as, one of the oldest football association in geographic Africa founded in 1920. Records indicate that Cape Coast, the capital of central region of Ghana and Accra, Ghana's capital are the first colonial cities in sub-saharan Africa to host a formal league in the Gold Coast. After a weak start in 1915, the league kicked off in 1922 with Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club emerging as winners, taking the coveted Guggisberg shield, named after the progressive British governor of that period.
Amateur Status
It is on record that the game of Football was introduced into the Gold Coast towards the close of the 19th century by Merchants from Europe, who had then invaded the coastal areas and built forts and castles to enhance their trading activities either in merchandise or human cargo. The sailors at their leisure times played football among themselves and sometimes with a select side of the indigenous people. The popularity of the game spread like wild fire within a short time along the coast culminating in the formation of the first football club, EXCELSIOR in 1903 by Mr. Briton, a Jamaican born British, who was then Head Teacher of Philip Quaque Government Boys School in Cape Coast. As the popularity of the game grew, other clubs along the coast, namely: Accra Hearts of Oak, Accra Standfast, Cape Coast Venomous Vipers, Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs, Sekondi Hasaacas and Sekondi Eleven Wise all amateur clubs were formed.
The Gold Coast Amateur Football Association
In 1952, the Government of the Gold Coast enacted Ordinance 14, establishing the Gold Coast Amateur Sports Council, which gave it legal authority to control all amateur Associations including Football. Indeed, as the popularity of the game spread throughout the entire country, the then existing clubs, towards the tail end of 1930, met and elected Mr. Richard Maabuo Akwei as their Chairman. However, towards the middle of 1950, the clubs, spearheaded by Mr. Ohene Djan accused Mr. Richard M Akwei of maladministration, and a Chairman who was not up to the task of transforming Gold Coast Football to greater heights. They therefore addressed petitions to the Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Gordon Arden Clerke and the Pioneer Sports Organiser, Mr. Joseph Ranadurai, a Jamaican born British on the mal-administration of the Amateur Football Association headed by Mr. Akwei. While the petition was being addressed, Mr. Ohene Djan spearheaded a “Football Revolution” and succeeded in toppling the Richard Akwei Administration in 1957.
The Football Revolution – 1957
The die was cast; Football Administration was given a new lease. Mr. Ohene Djan was elected General Secretary of the Association by the clubs. The Ghana Amateur Football Association was officially founded. Forward looking and dynamic as he was, he affiliated the Association to CAF and FIFA in 1958, in the same year respectively. He was instrumental in getting a Pharmaceutical Firm Merrs R.R. Harding and Company to sponsor the first FA cup competition among 8 clubs. In the same year he succeeded in securing the services of an ex-patriate Coach, Mr. George Ainsley for the National Team. Then in 1959, he succeeded again in organising the first National league before Ghana became a Republic on 1 July 1960.
The African Cup of Nations
The Ghana Amateur Football Association was affiliated to CAF in 1958 and in 1963, it won the bid to host the 5th African Cup of Nations to coincide with the Meeting of the (O.A.U.) Heads of States and Government in Accra. Ghana won the trophy and went ahead again to successfully defend it in Tunisia in 1965. By these sterling feats, Ghana Football had become a household word in the African continent. Mr. Ohene Djan was one of the pillars in African Football and in CAF. As one of the then leading political leaders in Africa, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah the First President of the Republic of Ghana used football to chalk political victories as follows:-
(i) he championed the cause of “African personality” in football;
(ii) he used football as a tool to fight against apartheid in South Africa;
(iii) he used football to weld the heterogeneous cultures of Africa together; and
(iv) he used football as a vehicle to place Ghana on the football map of Africa and the World.
In a nutshell, after the 1965 triumph, Ghana hosted and won the 13th edition of the African Cup of Nations trophy for keeps in 1978, and four years later, won it again in Tripoli, Libya. The team have won the African Cup of Nations four times (in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982), making Ghana the second most successful team in the contest's history, together with Cameroon; Egypt has won the past three tournaments (2006, 2008, 2010) to give it a record seven titles.
Although the team did not qualify for the senior FIFA World Cup until 2006, Ghana has enjoyed tremendous success at the youth level, winning the FIFA World Under-17 title twice and finishing runner-up twice. Ghana has also finished second at the FIFA World Youth Championship twice as well. Ghana became the 1st African Country to win a medal in Football at the 1992 Summer Olympics. In 2009, Ghana became the first African Country to win the U-20 FIFA World cup by defeating favorite Brazil.
With regard to Women Football, the Ghana’s Black Queens has participated in two World Cup tournaments and the Olympic Games. It has always also been Runners-up to the Falcons of Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations series.
Changing times changing needs. Ghana Football shrugged off its fully Amateur Status to become Professional, enabling clubs to be incorporated under the companies Code (Act 193, 1963) as Limited Liability Companies either by shares or guarantee through the 1993 Famous Winneba Declaration.
With the youngest squad in World Cup 2006, strong displays and a host of top players many regard Ghana as the best national team in the African continent.
Ghana hosted the African Cup of Nations Tournament in January 2008.
Presidents
- Mr. Ohene-Djan 1957-1960
- Mr. H. P. Nyametei 1960-1966
- Nana Fredua Mensah 1966-1970
- Mr. Henry Djaba 1970-1972
- Maj. Gen. R. E. A. Kotei 1972-1973
- Col. Brew-Graves 1973-1975
- Maj. George Lamptey 1975-1977
- Maj. D. O. Asiamah 1977-1979
- Mr. I. R. Aboagye 1979
- Mr. Samuel Okyere 1979-1980
- Mr. S. K. Mainoo 1980-1982
- Mr. Zac Bentum 1982-1983
- Mr. L. Ackah-Yensu 1983-1984
- Mr. L. T. K. Caesar 1984
- Mr. E. O. Teye 1984-1986
- Mr. Samuel Okyere 1986-1990
- Mr. Awuah Nyamekye 1990-1992
- Mr. Joe Lartey 1992-1993
- Mr. Samuel Brew-Butler 1993-1997
- Alhaji M. N. D. Jawula 1997-2001
- Mr. Ben Koufie 2001-2003
- Dr. N. Nyaho-Tamakloe 2004-2005
- Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi 2005–present
Disciplinary Committee
- Frank Davis – (Director)
- Nania Kwesi Afrifa – (Judge)
- Amadu Tanko
- Justice Anim Yeboah
- Emmanuel Gyimah – (General Secretary)
- Kweku Ampim Darko – (Deputy General Secretary)
- Kwame Ntow-Fianko – (CEO of Division One League)
- Atta Akyea – (Owner of Tudu Mighty Jets FC)
- Jordan Anagbla – (Chairman of the Black Satellites)
- Edward Bawa – (Administrative Officer)
- Fred Pappoe – (Management committee Chairman / Vice President)
References
- ↑ "Southern Times-The Politics of Soccer How Kwame Nkrumah built a team of winners". Southerntimesafrica.com. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ "Ghana Football Association signs 15-million US dollar sponsorship deal with Oil Company - Xinhua | English.news.cn". News.xinhuanet.com. 2013-01-05. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ "Ghana Football Association signs $15-million sponsorship deal with Oil Company". Globaltimes.cn. 2013-01-05. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
External links
- Official website
- Ghana Premier League website
- Ghanaweb Football/Soccer
- Official website History page
- CAN Qualifiers 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
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