Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku says the targets set by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports and Culture for the new administration falls in line with what is captured in his manifesto.
The legislative body on Friday announced targets for the new administration, tasking it to ensure the senior national team the Black Stars end Ghana’s 39-year AFCON trophy drought by winning the next Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be hosted by Cameroon.
It also asked the FA to ensure the Stars qualify and reach the semi-finals of the Qatar 2022 World Cup and make the Black Stars rank consistently among the top 10 in the world.
The committee further tasked the GFA to make local clubs strong and competitive in Africa and have a corruption free administration.
Responding to the task at a meeting with the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) on Saturday, Mr Okraku said the targets from the Parliamentarians are very normal and are targets that are very realistic.
“If indeed our senior colleagues in Parliament did set those targets then it is very normal and those standards were first set by us. I am sure they might have read my manifesto.”
“I want to go to the Mundial; I want to win the Nations Cup; I want my league to be the most consumed league in Africa and so is everybody.”
According to him, the thoughts of the committee only goes to tell of how much people love football; how well people mean for football and how well people not only close to football but in high government positions want the game to be developed, which for him, was the import of the statement.
“If we say that we need government support in the provision of infrastructure, it means we want to get to the Mundial for which reason they must behave same; again if we say we must provide footballs for our clubs it means we want to get to the Mundial.
“If the fundamentals are wrong or weak we cannot get to the Mundial.”
The former broadcaster said it was evidently clear that the production cycle for the junior and senior national teams has stopped and if the nation wants to get to the top, we must get the fundamentals right; get a strong institution and make sure everything works well, and that is what this administration has set out to achieve.
He urged all to close ranks after the elections and join the new board to help put back football where it duly belongs.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
