The Ghana Rugby Football Union (Ghana Rugby) had its Elective Congress on 15th December, 2023 in Cape Coast, Ghana.
Representatives of stakeholders including Regional Associations and their members, the Clubs, GRUPA (Ghana Rugby Union Players Association), officials, administrators, the National Sports Authority (NSA) and the Electoral Commission (EC) were invited to the Special (Elective) General Meeting (SGM) where a new Board was elected.
It is to be noted that Ghana Rugby has come under a great turmoil in its administration with one legal suit or the other which has affected it in many ways.
The resignation of the former President Mr. Herbert Mensah in August, 2023 due to his elevation as President of the continental body (Rugby Africa) left a power vacuum and meant that the federation is left with the following challenges;
•There is no President, Board Chairman and CEO.
•There is no Vice President
•Two Board Members were deceased
•Four Board Members including the General Secretary had been served with an injunction not to call/convene meetings of Ghana Rugby or write on the letterhead of Ghana Rugby.
•The board is unable to form a quorum to have meetings.
This has automatically created a power vacuum and a default in administration.
It is for this reason that the Members of Ghana Rugby (made up of Clubs and Regional Associations), clothed with the constitutional powers to appoint and dismiss the board called for the convening of Congress to reconstitute the board.
The New President of Ghana Rugby, Mr. Abdul–Aziz Issah, stated that the SGM was an important event in light of a dramatically changed and continuously changing environment that will place enormous pressure on the future of Ghana Rugby.
According to Mr. Aziz, the Union will be facing:
* Increased and tougher participation in Rugby Africa Tournaments, as the Men’s 7’s team will have to work hard to be placed among the best once again.
* Increase in the number of domestic competitions,
* Expansion of “Women in Ghana Rugby”.
* Dramatic expansion in youth development through the World Rugby “Get into Rugby” programme,
* More intensive and extensive training and education of coaches, match officials and medical officers, and
* Increased demand on governance and administration.
He also thanked the former President Mr. Herbert Mensah for his stewardship and promised to tap into his rich experience going forward.
The New Board of Ghana Rugby as approved at Congress were as follows,
Mr. Abdul – Aziz Issah President, Board Chairman
Mr. Bismark Amponsah General Secretary
Mr. Abdul Nasir Yusif Meizongo Treasurer
Mr. Nukunu Apaloo Tournament Director
Miss. Etisam Abubakar Women Representative
Mr. Kobina Minta-Nyarku Member
Mr. Michael Ako Wilson Member
Mr. Samuel Apprey Member
The Election was conducted and supervised by the Cape Coast Metropolitan Directorate of the Electoral Commission of Ghana. A representative of the National Sports Authority (NSA) took on the function of dissolving the Board that was constituted on 4th February, 2020 and also Swearing in the New Board as approved at Congress on 15th December, 2023.
Source GRFU Communications
