Former Black Stars captain Stephen Appiah has urged the government to increase its investment in Ghana’s football sector.
Football in the country, he said, is largely under government control and criticized the government’s heavy focus on the senior national team, the Black Stars rather.
Appiah slammed the government for neglecting junior teams such as the U-17, U-20, U-23, and women’s teams.
Appiah made these comments on Wednesday, September 24, 2024, while appearing before the parliamentary fact-finding committee investigating the decline of Ghanaian football.
He expressed concern over the loss of confidence many fans feel towards the state of the sport, which he believes is damaging to the nation.
“Ghana won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015, and the U-20 team also lifted a trophy in 2021. But since then, we’ve struggled to achieve major success,” Appiah stated.
He also condemned the practice of excluding key players who contributed during qualifiers from final tournament squads, arguing that this undermines team spirit.
According to Appiah, the lack of familiarity and teamwork among players has been a major factor in the team’s poor performance.
He called for greater financial commitment from the government and the construction of more FIFA-standard stadiums to improve football in Ghana.
Chairman of the National Sports Authority’s Board Seth Panwun Boyoyo, who also addressed the committee emphasized the Authority’s role in promoting both amateur and professional sports in the country.
Boyoyo acknowledged Ghana’s recent defeat to Angola at Kumasi’s Baba Yara Sports Stadium but assured the committee that steps are being taken to address the challenges facing the sport.
The fact-finding committee, led by Hon. Kobena Mensah Woyome, MP for South Tongu, was formed to investigate the decline of Ghanaian football following a petition from the Fix Ghana Group earlier this year.
Woyome encouraged participants to speak openly, noting that their input is vital to the committee’s work. The public hearings are set to continue on October 1, 2024.