In a landmark visit aimed at strengthening Ghana’s football ecosystem from the grassroots to the elite level, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has engaged a broad cross-section of football stakeholders in Wa.

The engagement brought together club owners, chief executive officers, administrators, match commissioners, referees, and officials of the Catch Them Young Referees programme, marking one of the most inclusive football governance meetings ever held in the Upper West Region.

Addressing the gathering, President Okraku underscored the GFA’s commitment to decentralised football development, stressing that sustainable growth of the game depends on empowering regions traditionally considered peripheral to mainstream football administration.

“Football development cannot be Accra-centric. Every region matters, every official matters, and every young referee matters,” he said.

“Our presence here in Wa is deliberate — to listen, to learn, and to build together.”

Key issues discussed included refereeing standards, club licensing compliance, matchday organisation, integrity of competitions, and pathways for nurturing young referees through structured mentorship under the Catch Them Young initiative.

Participants were encouraged to uphold professionalism, ethical conduct, and continuous education as pillars of modern football administration.

Match commissioners and referees raised concerns about logistics, capacity building, and welfare, while club representatives highlighted the need for improved infrastructure, financial sustainability, and transparent communication between the GFA and clubs.

President Okraku assured stakeholders that the GFA would continue to roll out capacity-building programmes, enhance referees’ development pipelines, and improve institutional support systems across all regions.

The Wa engagement forms part of the GFA President’s broader nationwide stakeholder outreach, aimed at restoring confidence, strengthening governance, and unifying the football family under a shared vision of integrity, excellence, and inclusiveness.

The visit was widely hailed by participants as historic, signalling renewed attention to the Upper West Region and reaffirming the GFA’s resolve to make football a truly national enterprise.