Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has cautioned the current leadership against plans to extend the GFA presidential term limit from two to three terms, warning it could repeat the mistakes that led to the downfall of ex-president Kwesi Nyantakyi.
The proposed amendment, which will be debated at the GFA’s 31st Ordinary Congress on August 12 at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence in Prampram, would allow a sitting president to serve up to 12 years, up from the current maximum of eight.
“I warn that history has repeated itself in several instances in this country, and we don't seem to take note of that,” Tamakloe told Joy Sports.
Referring to Nyantakyi’s controversial exit, Tamakloe said the former GFA boss’s push to extend his term was among the factors that contributed to his downfall.
“If we are not careful, this can create a big problem, because citing the downfall of the former GFA boss, Kwesi Nyantakyi, my very good friend, I attribute it to this particular thing he himself wanted to do [and] would have an impact on his downfall.”
Nyantakyi served two terms before the GFA amended its statutes to permit a third. However, his tenure ended in 2018 after the release of Number 12, an undercover documentary by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which led to Nyantakyi’s resignation and a subsequent lifetime ban from FIFA.
Tamakloe warned against constitutional manipulation for personal gain.
“Now, to me, anyone who wants to stay in power perpetually, especially by twisting the constitution to suit their interests, is a danger to the organisation and the society,” he said.
The debate over the proposed term extension continues to divide opinion within Ghanaian football, with some club executives backing the change as a way to ensure stability and long-term development.
Reporting by Pascal Amoah
