The President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has defended the decision to dismiss Otto Addo as head coach of the Black Stars, stating that the move was taken in the national interest with just 72 days remaining before the FIFA World Cup.

Addo was relieved of his duties on Monday following a string of disappointing results in recent international friendlies, including a 5–1 defeat to Austria and a 2–1 loss to Germany — both part of preparations for the global tournament.

The results prompted the FA’s Executive Committee to reassess the team’s trajectory ahead of the World Cup.

Speaking to 3Sports, Okraku said the decision followed extensive internal discussions and a review of recent performances.

“I've seen the last four or five games that we have played. I've seen the group, I've seen the executive committee discuss the games that we have played, and I've also heard about our shared vision for the World Cup. And I thought that it was time for us to look at another direction for our common vision,” he said.

He added that leadership requires balancing personal views with collective judgment, especially in critical moments.

“I think that when leading the team, you may have your strong opinions about issues, but there are moments that you need to listen to the team for the greater good of our country. And at this moment, we thought it's Ghana first, and we have to go in a different direction,” he added.

The GFA is expected to begin the process of appointing a new head coach to lead the national team into the World Cup.