President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo has announced that government will implement a Presidential Policy on football to revive the performance of the senior national team, the Black Stars.
He said it was time to take a long-term, far-sighted approach on scouting, grooming and talent development at the district level to correct the mess.
President Akufo-Addo made the call when he delivered a message on the State of the Nation to Parliament in Accra on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
He said “since the sad events of Brazil 2014, many Ghanaians have been left disappointed by some of the recent results of the Black Stars. Various attempts have made to revive the fortunes of the national team, and rebuild the enthusiasm of the people with varying degrees of success.”
The President expressed confidence that the senior side would go back to its glory days as a football powerhouse in Africa to end its over 40-year trophy drought.
He made reference to the recent AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire where the Black Stars failed to advantage to the Round of 16 after failing to beat Cape Verde, Egypt and Mozambique in Group B.
He said despite the poor campaign at the tournament, the words of Captain Andre Ayew sent a signal of how committed the players were to make the nation proud.
As part of finding other alternatives, the President said the school sports department of the Ministry of Education would work hand in hand with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association (GFA), to build district, regional and national juvenile teams for both boys and girls.
The President said with the right investment and authorities in place, the Black Stars would come back to winning ways.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in progress and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching, the Black Stars is still on a hunt for a new Coach after former Brighton gaffer Chris Hughton was sacked following a poor campaign at the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast.
GNA