The Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) has inaugurated a new Board and Officers in Accra on Monday, following the adoption of a new Constitution at its Annual General Meeting held in Accra.

The new Constitution was adopted on July 17, 2017, to bring the governance structures of the GRFU in line with best practice and governance, where the role of the Board as strategic management organ, is divorced from the operational administration of the Union.

A statement issued by the GRFU on Monday said Mr Herbert Mensah, former President of the GRFU, was elected unanimously as President of the GRFU and a Board Member. The newly elected Board subsequently appointed him as Chairman.

The other elected members of the are Mr Abdul-Aziz Issah, Mr Bismark Amponsah, Mr James Nunoo Mensah, Mr Kobina Nyarko, Mr Rian Malan (South Africa) and Mr Steve Noi. In addition to the six elected Board Members, a Ghana Rugby Union Players Association (GRUPA) representative, Mr Michael Ako Wilson and Ms Rafiatu Inusah, as a Women’s representative, were also elected to the newly formed Board. The election of the Officers and Board was overseen by a Board representative of Rugby Afrique, Mr Marcellin Zahui, as well as Mr Ignatius Elletey of the National Sports Authority of Ghana.

Also present at the occasion was a film crew from World Rugby, who landed in Accra on Sunday night to compile features on Ghana Rugby for World Rugby TV.

The GRFU Constitution also provides for the appointment of four independent Directors. The newly elected Board will be responsible for identifying suitable candidates and inviting them to apply for the positions.

According to Mr Herbert Mensah, now President and Chairman of the GRFU, the change in governance comes at a time when Ghana Rugby has managed to obtain Full Membership of World Rugby in an unprecedented time of less than three years since his previous administration took over the reins on 5 June 2014.

“The challenges Ghana Rugby is facing have changed dramatically since becoming full members of World Rugby, as that has opened the doors for Ghana Rugby to enter the global stage of the Game. To meet these enormous challenges, investments will be required, regarding increasing the performance levels of our national teams,” Mensah said.

Mr Mensah said the future of Ghana Rugby is still very much dependent on rolling out the grassroots youth development plans nationally, but that the need for increased participation in international match opportunities for the national teams will add enormous new pressure on the GRFU.

According to Mr Mensah, “The new Ghana Rugby Board will have to guide the Union strategically to ensure the necessary resourcing, whiles putting solid operational structures in place. Running a national federation is not dissimilar to running any big corporate body, and the Board will have its work cut out for them and for the operational units that they will put in place.”