Karela United CEO slams proposal to extend GFA presidential term limit
4th August 2025
Chief Executive Officer of Karela United, Elloeny Amande, has fiercely criticized a proposal to extend the Ghana Football Association (GFA) presidential term limit from two terms to three, describing it as a “power-drunk decision” that must be firmly rejected.
The controversial recommendation was made by the GFA’s Statutes Review Committee and has been distributed to member clubs ahead of the Association’s 31st Ordinary Congress, scheduled for August 12, 2025, at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence in Prampram.
Speaking on Asempa FM, Amande expressed his shock and disappointment, arguing that such a move betrays the spirit of reform initiated after the 2018 Anas exposé, which uncovered systemic corruption within Ghanaian football.
“I think the proposed decision to extend the mandate of the president of the Ghana Football Association is a power-drunk decision. I was shocked to see that in the proposal sent to clubs for Congress,” Amande remarked.
He further recalled that the FIFA Normalisation Committee, set up in the wake of the exposé, intentionally capped the GFA presidency at two terms to promote transparency and avoid power abuse.
“After the Anas exposé, the Normalisation Committee deliberately made it two terms for the president of the Football Association because of where we were coming from. For this administration to now consider changing it—I think it must be rejected by Congress,” he emphasized.
Drawing parallels to Ghana’s national governance system, Amande questioned the justification for extending the GFA President’s term beyond what is allowed for the country’s President.
“Even in this country, the President has only two terms. Why not apply the same principle to the GFA? It’s wrong. It’s a way to grab power, which must not be allowed,” he said.
Aside from the term extension proposal, the Statutes Review Committee has also recommended creating two vice-presidential roles within the GFA, one of which would be reserved for a female candidate—a move aimed at promoting women’s football in Ghana.
The proposed amendments are expected to be a major point of contention at the upcoming Congress, as stakeholders weigh the implications for the future governance of Ghana football.