Ask a dozen people why Ghana football keeps stumbling and you will hear a dozen answers: tactics, selection, coaching, preparation, administration. Veteran sports and media personality Fiifi Banson has added one that few analysts would put on a whiteboard. In his view, GFA President Kurt Okraku may be battling something that has little to do with football itself.
Speaking on Sporty FM, Mr. Banson reflected on the state of the Black Stars and the wider troubles around the country’s football administration. His argument was that Okraku, over the years, has offended people and stepped on many toes, and that the fallout could be working against him in ways no spreadsheet can capture.
Banson suggested that strained relationships and old disagreements may have left the GFA boss without the spiritual goodwill a leader in his position needs.
“Kurt Okraku has offended and stepped on many toes, and spiritually not everyone is with him,” he said.
He went on to link this to the way some people speak about the GFA president, and he insisted the matter is not simply about whether Okraku can make sound administrative decisions. The issue, as he sees it, is an intangible one. Even a flawless approach, Banson argued, might not be enough.
“He can do all the right things, bring the best players around the world, pay the coaches well, do everything right, but spiritually something is fighting him, and he must find out,” he said.
The veteran broadcaster did not confine his remarks to the federation’s boardroom. He said the Black Stars, as currently constituted, appear to lack a certain spirit he considers essential if Ghana is to compete successfully.
The team has long been tied to national pride, determination and resilience, especially at major tournaments. Recent results, however, have fuelled heated public debate, with supporters, former players, journalists and administrators all offering their own diagnoses. Some point to tactical choices, squad selection or preparation. Banson’s contribution is to suggest that gathering talented players is not, on its own, a guarantee of success.
He pointed, implicitly, to a familiar Ghanaian paradox. The country has never been short of footballers at high levels across Europe and beyond, yet that wealth of talent has not always produced consistent national team performances. For Banson, that gap hints at something deeper that must be addressed.
His prescription is aimed squarely at Okraku. The GFA president, he believes, should examine his relationships and ask whether unresolved personal or relational issues are affecting his leadership. Banson also called for a stronger collective spirit within the team and greater harmony around those who run the game.
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Okraku’s tenure has drawn plenty of public discussion, with supporters and critics divided over the direction of Ghana football. As head of the GFA, he oversees the administration of the sport and the management of the national teams, which is why Black Stars performances so often turn into questions about the federation itself.
Spirituality holds a prominent place in Ghanaian life, and football has never been entirely separate from it. Players, coaches and supporters have long spoken openly about prayer, spiritual protection and divine intervention in the pursuit of sporting success.
Still, such explanations remain matters of faith and interpretation. Unlike goals scored, possession, player availability or coaching records, they cannot be independently verified. Banson’s remarks are therefore best read as his personal assessment of what may be affecting Okraku and the Black Stars, not as an established account of Ghana’s football difficulties.
As the country continues to debate the future of its national team and its football leadership, his comments are likely to keep the conversation going: are the Black Stars’ problems purely technical and administrative, or, as Banson believes, is there another dimension that deserves attention?