The President of the Football Association Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Honourable Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, on Wednesday July 30, 2025, as part of efforts to build strategic partnerships that foster employment and youth development through football.
The President was accompanied by Executive Council Members Samuel Aboabire and Eugene Nobel Noel, along with the Football Association’s Business Development Manager, Ms. Janice Odonkor. The high-level engagement took place at the Ministry’s offices and centered around shared priorities, including youth employment, skills development and leveraging football as a powerful tool for national development.
The President highlighted the natural synergy between the Football Association and the Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment, noting that both institutions play critical roles in offering opportunities to Ghana’s youth.
“Obviously, you are responsible for job creation and employment. We also offer similar services, and so clearly, there is synergy,” Mr. Simeon-Okraku stated. “We want to explore opportunities between our two organisations. You have specialised skills and are specially empowered to ensure that our youth are supported, trained and employed. We are here to open a channel of dialogue between our two entities.”
He further stressed football’s far-reaching impact on communities across the country, noting that the sport is not only a source of national pride and entertainment but also a viable avenue for skills development, employment creation and social mobility.
“Football, as you all know, is the most loved sport in the country. Fortunately, our Honourable Minister is someone deeply connected to football and understands the sport well,” he added. “For us in football, we offer opportunities to young boys and girls, using our vast scouting network to identify, nurture and promote talent in every corner of our dear country.”
The GFA President also used the occasion to highlight recent successes in Ghanaian football, particularly the performance of the national women’s team.
“In the last few days, Ghanaian football has witnessed some encouraging progress. Our senior women’s national team, the Black Queens, secured bronze at the WAFCON. While the mission was to win the ultimate prize, this achievement marks a significant step forward, and we are proud of how far the team has come.” he said.
President Simeon-Okraku expressed optimism about the future of the collaboration between the GFA and the Ministry, indicating that the meeting marks the beginning of a productive relationship aimed at jointly creating pathways for youth employment and empowerment.
“Hopefully, with this opportunity we’ve found with this Ministry, we can explore ways that will be mutually beneficial to both our organisations and aligned with our shared goals,” he concluded.
Honourable Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo welcomed the GFA delegation and commended the initiative to engage the Ministry on employment-focused collaboration. He expressed his support for innovative, sport-based employment strategies and acknowledged football’s unmatched potential to impact the lives of young Ghanaians.
The parties will seek to identify actionable areas of cooperation and to develop joint programs aimed at training, mentoring and creating jobs through the football value chain.
GFA Communications
