The President of the Ghana Football Association, Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, met the leadership of the Brong Ahafo Regional Football Association (BARFA) in Sunyani on Friday August 9, 2024 to discuss matters relating to the growth of Football in the Region, as part of his engagements with Football stakeholders in the region.
In an open forum at the Regional FA Headquarters on Friday, the President applauded the leadership of BARFA, led by Dr Charles Osei Anto, for his creativity and innovations and encouraged him to keep the pace.
He called for patience, proper planning and pragmatic steps to improve the gains made by the Region under the able leadership of Dr Anto.
President Edwin Simeon-Okraku called for sustained support for the Catch Them Young Refereeing policy which is being replicated in the region.
"I will say thank you for being supportive of the strategy today. All of you are witnesses to the talents that gradually are beginning to surface in referees. Some of them have been here officiating in the Division One League Super Cup. This year, we will have our first professional referees from this policy. My plea to all of you is that we be supportive of the young boys and girls who have declared and have shown their passion to be referees at this tender age," he said
"They need our support, they need our encouragement, and the FA, with your support will continue to provide the necessary logistics like whistles, uniforms and others to aid their work. We will continue with this strategy to ensure that the problems that we identified years ago are gradually being solved."
"We will continue to invest in the young referees; we will give them the right values: It has been said "teach the child the way he or she should go so when they grow, they will not depart from it." So, let's continue to teach them. Let's continue to be supportive of them. I know that this region has been very supportive of this strategy and I thank you and will urge you to continue with it."
The President underlined his determination and commitment to give every child a chance to play football as outlined in the policy direction by the Executive Council of the GFA.
"I want us to give every young kid, boy or girl, a chance to play football. Every kid who finds himself or herself in this world and wants to play football, let's create the opportunity for them to play football," he reiterated.
"Let us not enact policies that will prevent kids from having access to the round leather. As they grow, their pyramid closes up. But at the bottom of the pyramid, let's open it up for the kids to play.
"Yesterday, there was a marathon Executive Council (EXCO) meeting. One of the problems that we discussed had to do with registration of players at the juvenile level. At the end, we agreed and decided that we would not enact a law that would prevent our kids from playing football."
"So with registration of Colts players, kids with NHIS cards or birth certificates will be accepted. The only caveat here is that once the player gets to the category level, Division 3, the Ghana card becomes mandatory. So from Division 3, 2nd Division, upwards, the Ghana Card will be mandatory.
The President also appealed to the Region to take serious interest in Women’s football, which is fast gaining popularity in Ghana and around the world.
"I will encourage people in this region to start looking at women's football. I am proud that your colleagues in the North have introduced the U15 Girls League. My intelligence is that your leadership is doing same. Find a way to encourage people to be interested in the women's game," he advised.
"Please, let's look at how we can get girls to be interested in juvenile football and let's find a way of introducing competitions. I will encourage the RFA to be interested in organising festivals. You can do inter-District festivals for girls U15, U17, solely. Gradually their interest will grow.
"People will start to put clubs together and in our times, FIFA is now going to introduce solidarity payments for girls' footballers. What it means is that it is in our collective interest to start introducing the girls at a much tender age.
"In the coming days and weeks, we will meet with you, the RFA, to discuss the need for the introduction of more competitions for the youth. We're looking at Girls U15 Inter-District Festival.
"The more you think about introduction of competitions, which is a necessary ingredient for players to develop, you also have to think about resources. So, it will go hand in hand here."
The President also confirmed the start date for the Division Two League scheduled to kick off in October, 2024, urging BARFA to explore media partnership to enhance promotion.
"I know it will come as a problem or a surprise, but we expect your second Division League to start in the month of October. No more, no less. All Second Division Leagues across the 10 regions must start in the month of October. And your region is part of the 10, So, I expect your Second Division League to start in the month of October.
"Now, in planning your season, let's be creative. We have festivals. We have important dates. Let's be creative with scheduling. This is very important. It creates excitement. In your own small way, find radio and TV partners.
"Even if you have one TV network who will show just one game, do it. Find radio partners who offer radio commentary on second division games. Do it! and then find a way to invest in technology that will allow you to produce or promote some of your games by yourselves and put same on YouTube, on Facebook and other social media platforms. This is the way."
The President attended the meeting with Executive Council member, Kingsley Osei Bonsu, GFA Technical Director, Professor Joseph Kwame Mintah, GFA Regional Coordinator, Daasebre Adu Asare, Chief of Staff, Michael Osekre and Head of Public Relations and Strategy, Neil Armstrong-Mortagbe.
He will hold stakeholder engagements with Premier, Women and Division One League Clubs on Saturday August 10, 2024 at the Eusbett Hotel,, scheduled for 11am local time.
GFA Communications