Winnifred Mawudeku: Kurt Okraku’s Sister Addresses Claims of Receiving Help for GFA Role
- The sister of Kurt Okraku has broken her silence on claims that their family ties influenced her appointment at the GFA
- Mawudeku told Sporty FM that those who handled her recruitment had no idea she was related to the GFA president
- She pointed to her official documents as evidence, noting that her certificates bear the surname Mawudeku rather than Okraku
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Winnifred Mawudeku, Director of the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence and sister of Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku, has firmly rejected suggestions that her family connection to the GFA boss gave her any advantage in landing her current role.
Source: Facebook
Kurt Okraku's sister denies nepotism at GFA
Mawudeku has held the directorship since Okraku rose to lead the GFA, a timing that has fuelled speculation about whether the two used their personal relationship to her professional benefit.
Speaking on Sporty FM, she pushed back strongly against that narrative.
"The GFA president [Kurt Okraku] is my brother, but our paths never crossed professionally. He's always been into football, and I'm into management. He never played any role in me getting this job," she said, as cited by Ghanasoccernet.
According to Mawudeku, those responsible for processing her application were completely unaware of her relationship with Okraku at the time.
She credited the separation of their surnames as the reason their family bond went unnoticed during the hiring process.
"Nobody even knew I was related to him when I applied for the job. I don't even use the surname Okraku. The name on my certificates is Winnifred Mawudeku," she added.
Her remarks suggest that the recruitment was handled in a way that kept her identity distinct from the GFA president's and that she succeeded on the strength of her application alone.
Kurt Okraku's appointment draws scrutiny amid transparency debate
Mawudeku's comments arrive at a time when appointments within Ghanaian football structures attract considerable public attention, particularly where questions of merit and transparency are concerned.
The Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence, based in Prampram, serves as a key facility for football development in the country, making the role a significant one within the football ecosystem.
Mawudeku's account presents the appointment as entirely independent of her relationship with Okraku, with the two operating in separate professional spheres throughout their careers.
She maintains that management, not football administration under her brother's watch, has always been her domain.
Pres. Mahama told to sack GFA boss Kurt Okraku
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that sports broadcaster Daniel Koranteng had urged President John Mahama to dismiss GFA president Kurt Okraku following Ghana’s 4-2 defeat to Gambia in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers on September 29.
The Black Stars have endured a poor start to their campaign, losing both Group C matches and sitting bottom of the standings without a point.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
