Ghana FA chief Okraku backs youth plan to secure football future

Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku says the country’s football future will depend on planned investment and policy, not luck. He made the case while addressing the GFA’s 32nd Ordinary Congress at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram on Thursday.

Okraku reaffirmed the association’s “Power to the Youth” policy as the main framework for developing the next generation of Ghanaian players. The approach is intended to identify talent early, provide better coaching and structures, and guide players towards the professional and national-team levels.

The Colts System remains the base of that plan. The proposed pathway will cover Under-13, Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 football, giving players a clearer progression through the age groups instead of leaving their development dependent on isolated breakthroughs.

The GFA also plans to pilot the UMB Under-19 League with affiliated professional clubs and accredited academies. The competition is designed to help young players handle the move into senior football by offering regular, high-level matches. The development model will include education, discipline and personal growth alongside football ability.

Youth development will also extend into senior competitions. The GFA said it would continue enforcing its mandatory Youth Integration policy in the Ghana Premier League, Women’s Premier League, Division One and Division Two leagues. The policy is intended to give young Ghanaian players genuine chances to play with and against more experienced footballers.

Okraku highlighted support from KGL, KIVO, MTN, UMB and FIFA, as well as funding through the FIFA Forward Programme. The backing is expected to assist competitions, logistics, infrastructure and player development across the football pyramid, as the association seeks to preserve Ghana’s tradition of producing talent through a more structured system.