GhanaWeb Feature by Benjamin Sackey
Three astute Ghanaian football administrators have held vice presidential roles at the Confederation of African Football (CAF), marking a significant achievement for Ghana on the continental stage.
These personalities include Kurt Okraku, the most recent appointee, alongside Kwesi Nyantakyi and the late Ohene Djan.
This article highlights the roles these individuals played during their tenure as CAF vice presidents
Ohene Djan
Legendary Ghanaian football administrator Ohene Djan occupied the role of CAF vice president during the presidency of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, beginning in January 1963.
His achievements include founding the Black Stars, establishing the Ghana League, and securing Ghana’s affiliation with both CAF and FIFA.
In July 1960, Dr Nkrumah elevated Djan to the ministerial position of “Director of Sports,” making him the overall head of sports administration in Ghana.
Djan’s lobbying efforts secured Ghana the hosting rights for the 1963 African Cup of Nations, a tournament the Black Stars went on to win. It was therefore unsurprising when, at a CAF meeting in January 1963, Djan, alongside Ethiopia’s Ydnekatchew Tessema (who would later become CAF President), was elected Vice President under CAF’s second President, Egyptian Abdel Aziz Moustafa.
A year earlier, at a CAF extraordinary assembly in Addis Ababa, Djan had also been voted onto the powerful FIFA Executive Committee (now known as the FIFA Council).
However, following the 1966 coup d’état that overthrew Nkrumah’s government, the new military regime, the National Redemption Council, banned Djan from public activities. This led to his loss of positions both at FIFA and CAF.
Former President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwesi Nyantakyi was appointed First Vice President of CAF in May 2017.
His nomination was validated by the CAF Executive Committee during its first meeting under the presidency of Ahmad Ahmad, held in Manama, Bahrain.
However, following an exposé by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which alleged that Nyantakyi was involved in corrupt practices, including accepting $65,000 in “shopping money” from an undercover reporter, he resigned from his roles at CAF, FIFA, and WAFU Zone B.
His resignation came after FIFA imposed a 90-day provisional ban on him, following a petition by Anas calling for a lifetime ban.
The current President of the GFA Kurt Okraku, is the latest Ghanaian to be appointed as the second Vice President of CAF.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe announced his appointment during an Executive Council meeting held in Accra on April 26, 2025.
Okraku, who was elected unopposed onto the CAF Executive Committee in March 2025, will serve alongside Faouzi Lekjaa, who has been named First Vice President, replacing Senegal FA President Augustin Senghor. Okraku succeeds Ahmed Yahya as Second Vice President.
Since 2019, Okraku has been at the helm of the GFA and also serves as President of the West African Football Union (WAFU).
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