Former GFA Chairman Nyaho-Tamakloe calls on Kurt Okraku to resign amid Black Stars crisis

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) Chairman Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has publicly called on current GFA President Kurt Okraku to step down, citing the Black Stars’ disastrous start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

Speaking to Citi FM, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe invoked what he described as a “culture of resignation,” arguing that Okraku should voluntarily leave his post if he believes he has failed in his role.

“If he feels that he has failed and he has the culture of resignation, then nobody will tell him he will resign by himself, as I did when I was there,” he said. “If he is not coming up with good results, that’s why I use the word culture of resignation; there are certain things you don’t force on people. Either you do it, and then one will know exactly that this man is principled… he should just quit as others have done in the past”.

The call comes after Ghana suffered a humiliating 4-2 home defeat to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium on Tuesday, surrendering a two-goal lead in a stunning collapse. The Black Stars had taken a commanding advantage through an Ernest Nuamah penalty in the 27th minute and a Felix Afena-Gyan free-kick six minutes later, but The Gambia responded with two goals before halftime and added two more after the break to seal a remarkable comeback.

The defeat followed a 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast in their opening Group C fixture, leaving Ghana bottom of the group with zero points from two matches. Ivory Coast and The Gambia currently lead the group with six points each, while Somalia sits third.

The result extends a deeply troubling run for the four-time African champions. Ghana have now gone eight consecutive AFCON qualifiers without a victory, a stretch dating back to September 2023. They failed to win any of their six qualifiers for the 2025 AFCON, recording three draws and three defeats, and missed the tournament for the first time since 2004.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe’s own resignation as GFA chairman in 2005 lends particular weight to his criticism. He assumed office in April 2004 but stepped down just over a year later following persistent in-fighting with other organs of the football association and a High Court ruling that allowed impeachment proceedings to proceed against him. Kwesi Nyantakyi succeeded him.

Okraku, who was first elected GFA president in 2019 and re-elected unopposed in 2023, has faced mounting pressure amid the team’s decline. In August 2025, the GFA Congress approved a statutory amendment extending the presidential term limit from two four-year terms to three, making Okraku eligible to contest again in 2027 and potentially serve until 2031.

The Black Stars will next face Somalia in a double-header in November, with the national team desperately needing positive results to revive their qualification hopes. Ghana are aiming to return to the AFCON after missing the 2025 tournament in Morocco.