GFA and CID Strengthen Partnership to Tackle Corruption and Violence Ahead of New Football Season

By Emmanuel Austin Baah On Aug 26, 2025

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service have renewed their commitment to safeguarding the integrity and safety of Ghanaian football.

This pledge was underscored during a meeting between GFA President Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku and CID Director-General Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaa Donkor on Monday, August 25, 2025, at the Police Headquarters in Accra.

With the 2025/26 football season fast approaching, both institutions focused their discussions on addressing pressing challenges threatening the sport—match manipulation, illegal betting and hooliganism.

President Okraku emphasized the importance of a close working relationship with the Police Service to tackle these issues and ensure transparency within the game.

“As we prepare for a new season, we want to strengthen our relationship with the Police Service to fight the canker of match manipulation, clamp down on illegal betting activities and ensure that violence and hooliganism are rooted out of our game,” he said.

He also congratulated COP Donkor on her appointment as CID Director-General and noted her valuable contributions to football security.

COP Lydia Donkor responded by appreciating the Football Association’s proactive engagement and reaffirmed the CID’s dedication to supporting the GFA’s efforts.

“We consider football a national treasure and an avenue for unity, development and pride. The Police Service, through the CID, will continue to stand with the GFA in addressing emerging challenges such as corruption in sports, violence at match venues and illegal betting practices,” she stated.

The upcoming Premier League season is set to commence on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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