President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, has reaffirmed the Association’s commitment to strengthening refereeing standards across the country, describing referees as “the unseen backbone” of Ghana’s football competitions.
Speaking at the 31st Ordinary Session of Congress at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram, Okraku emphasised that the performance and integrity of referees directly influence the trust and confidence of players, coaches, fans, and stakeholders.
“Referees are the unseen backbone of our football competitions. Their decisions shape not only matches, but also the trust of players, coaches, fans, and stakeholders alike,” he said.
Over the past year, the GFA has rolled out a series of deliberate reforms to enhance refereeing in Ghana. These include intensive training and capacity-building programmes in partnership with FIFA and CAF, featuring national and regional refresher courses, technical workshops, and mandatory fitness assessments.
The Association has also taken a step towards technological integration. While VAR implementation remains a future goal, video analysis has been introduced as a key training tool, enabling referees and instructors to review performances and make data-informed improvements.
The President noted that the appointment and evaluation of referees are now based strictly on performance and merit, while inclusivity in the profession continues to improve, with more female referees officiating at top levels. The "Catch Them Young" refereeing policy is also in full swing, identifying and nurturing young officiating talent and equipping Regional Football Associations (RFAs) with essential officiating materials such as uniforms, whistles, flags and cards.
However, the GFA President was candid about the challenges that persist.
“Integrity and perception remain our biggest obstacles. Despite improvements, concerns about fairness, bias, and alleged misconduct continue to surface. These perceptions, whether real or imagined, damage the reputation of our leagues and undermine confidence in results.” he cautioned.
He also acknowledged delays in the payment of referee allowances, noting that while some delays reflect broader global realities, the GFA is committed to improving referee welfare and ensuring officiating remains “a respected and rewarding profession.”
The President concluded by calling for collective responsibility in safeguarding the credibility of Ghanaian football, stressing that the work to build a fair, transparent and respected refereeing system must continue with even greater urgency.
GFA Communications