Hundreds of protestors on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 took to the streets of Accra, to register their displeasure against the current state of Ghana’s football.
The demonstration dubbed, ‘SaveGhanaFootball’, which started at 9:30AM, saw the young and old, clad in red and black, come out in their numbers, to march through the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Asylum Down, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, and all the way to the Independence Square.
This was after initial arrangement of convenors of the demonstration to present a petition to the Sports Ministry failed.
Amidst chanting of patriotic songs, drumming and dancing, the protestors held placards which sent a clear message to the leadership of the country and Ghana football.
Some messages on the placards read, “Ghana football is in a big mess”; “Competent people should lead the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS)”; “Nana Addo, do something for football”; “Our domestic league has collapsed” and “National Sports Authority (NSA), fix our stadiums”.
In interview with Sports Journalist, Nathan Quao, he stressed the need for government’s intervention in football matters and the implementation of policies to help football recover.
“Government has to get involved in our football. We cannot just have a minister who is there just to approve budget. The infrastructure development of football has to be done by government. They have to make sure that football is wired into education so there is a sustained line of production and athletes,” he emphasized.
He added that “We have to plan long term. we have to start putting things in place. What do want? Do we want to win an AFCON now, or we want to dominate football for a long time? Is a question that we need to ask ourselves. If we can answer that question, then we know what we are doing but it is important that we plan. We need to have patience for a proper plan in place and once it is done well, over the medium to short term, things will begin to work.”
Some football fanatics who were at the protest also raised concerns over lack of sports infrastructure and corruption in football, whiles demanding the resignation of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) President, Kurt Okraku.
“Our football is dead because the GFA is not helping matters. The players are doing their best but the management is not doing well. I want Kurt Okraku to be changed so we can have a new GFA boss,” one protestor said.
“If the Black Stars is to play a match in Ghana today, we would have to go and play it in another country because of the poor state of our stadia. We are tired. Kurt Okraku must resign,” another protestor stated.
The men’s national team of Ghana, the Black Stars were eliminated from the just ended 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Ivory in group stage, underscoring Ghana’s underwhelming performances in competitions recently.
