SONA 2024: President Akufo-Addo to unveil Presidential Policy on Football

President Akufo-Addo has stated his vision to initiate a policy to revive the declining nature of Ghana football.

In his ‘State of the Nation Address’ presented at the Parliament of Ghana on Tuesday, February 27, 2024, he acknowledged the decline in the state of the game, particularly the Black Stars’ inability to secure a victory in the recent 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“It is time for us to take a long-term, far-sighted approach to correct what has gone wrong.”

The president outlined a visionary Presidential Policy on Football that focuses on scouting, grooming, and developing talent at the grassroots level, starting from the district level.

“Mr Speaker, I believe it is time for us to take a long-term, far-sighted approach to correct what has gone wrong,” he stated.

“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.”

Akufo-Addo added that the policy draws inspiration from successful past initiatives, notably Ben Koufie’s five-year development plan under the NPP administration of President JA Kufuor.

“It was under this plan that talents such as Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, John Mensah, Derrick Boateng and later, Asamoah Gyan and Stephen Appiah, were discovered and nurtured. The results became evident to us and the world. It takes time, dedication and patience. We cannot harvest where we have not planted and irrigated. I have no doubt at all that the Black Stars will rise and make us proud again,” he emphasised.

The Black Stars’ recent performance at AFCON 2023, failing to secure a single win and exiting the group stage for the second consecutive time, prompted the Ghana Football Association to dissolve the technical team led by Chris Hughton. The association is currently in search of a replacement to steer the national team in a new direction.

Simultaneously, a group of concerned Ghanaians, under the banner of the #SaveGhanaFootball demonstration, recently presented a petition to Parliament seeking reforms in Ghanaian football.