President Akufo-Addo has proposed a return to scouting and grooming football talents at the district level to develop and improve Ghana’s football scene.
The president, in his State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, February 27, bemoaned Ghana’s poor performance at the just-ended 2023 AFCON tournament in Cote d’Ivoire which he said has left the nation saddened.
“The recent AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire was probably the nadir of the performance of the Black Stars, and has left the nation saddened. However, I am quite certain that the young men and the technical handlers would, themselves, have wanted to make our nation proud, and I believe that the captain, Andre Dede Ayew, meant every word when he rendered heartfelt apologies on behalf of his team-mates to all Ghanaians for the team’s early exit.”
Ghana for the second time in a row, was knocked out of the group stage of the prestigious continental tournament.
The president in his address, proposed a return to grassroots football, and he hinted that a presidential policy on football would be unveiled to get Ghana back to its glory days.
“Mr Speaker, I believe it is time for us to take a long-term, far-sighted approach to correct what has gone wrong. It is time to return to scouting, grooming and developing talent at the district grassroots level under a Presidential Policy on Football that I intend to unveil.
“The school sports department of the Ministry of Education will work hand in hand with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in collaboration and synergy with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), to build district, regional and national juvenile teams for both boys and girls.”