Government cannot dissolve GFA – Sports Minister Kofi Adams tells Ghanaians

Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams has explained that the government does not have the authority to dissolve the Ghana Football Association (GFA), despite mounting calls for changes to the administration of football in the country.

Mr Adams’ comments come amid growing scrutiny of the GFA following the Black Stars’ poor start to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

Ghana have lost their opening two Group C matches, suffering a 2-0 defeat to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké before a 4-2 home loss to The Gambia at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The back-to-back defeats have intensified calls from sections of the public and political class for the GFA to be dissolved or for major changes to be made to the management of Ghana football.

However, Mr. Adams says the government cannot simply dissolve the association because the GFA is a legally registered entity.

"You know what the Ghana Football Association is, and you know that when a private company is registered to exist in perpetuity, you cannot go and dissolve it if it has not committed any crime against the administrative right," the Buem MP told Joy FM.

"It is an association, and I don't think government has the power."

Although the minister ruled out dissolving the GFA, he stressed that the government has a legitimate interest in football because the national teams managed by the association represent Ghana and receive state support.

"Government has the power to do certain things because the national teams that the GFA supervises belong to the government," he said.

He further pointed to FIFA regulations governing the relationship between football associations and their respective governments.

"FIFA, in its statutes, has the Standard Corporate Agreement, so it creates space for the government, which spends money, to have a certain relationship with the GFA."

Mr. Adams said the government’s focus is therefore on ensuring that existing accountability and oversight mechanisms within Ghana football are allowed to operate.

"We want to ensure that the public interest committee works, but the government cannot dissolve the GFA because it is a registered entity that pays taxes to the appropriate authorities," he added.

The Sports and Recreation Minister, however, indicated that the situation could be different if officials of the GFA were found to have committed criminal offenses.

"If, however, they use their office to commit any crime and it is proven, then the necessary rules will apply," Mr. Adams said.

His comments come as pressure continues to build around the GFA following the Black Stars’ disappointing results in the opening matches of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.