The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has called for the immediate dissolution of the search committee established by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to recruit a new coach for the Black Stars.
Emphasizing the necessity for a comprehensive revamp of the country’s sporting framework, he advocates for the formulation of a national sports policy to regulate sporting and related activities in Ghana.
Mr. Ablakwa recently alleged that the Ministry of Youth and Sports budgeted an estimated $8.5 million for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) without obtaining parliamentary approval.
Addressing journalists in Kumasi, the North Tongu legislator urged the GFA to suspend the committee responsible for finding a new coach, highlighting the absence of a national sports policy and the need for strategic planning in Ghana’s football development.
He proposed a suspension of international sporting competitions to address fundamental issues, stating, “There’s the need for us as a country to overhaul sporting departments of our country. I’m appalled that Ghana doesn’t have a national sports policy. You keep hiring coaches, what is the vision for our sports football in particular? What is the plan for our infrastructure? Ghana doesn’t have a FIFA-certified pitch, what are the managers of football doing? Suspend all these international sporting competitions that we have been disgracing ourselves, and let’s get to the basics.
That committee [coach search committee] that they have set up should be disbanded, we don’t need to be rushing for coaches, how many coaches are we going to have within a few months.”
Ablakwa hinted at leading a bipartisan parliamentary probe into the budget for the AFCON 2023 tournament, asserting that spending public funds without parliamentary approval is unconstitutional and illegal.
“It’s important to emphasize that what has gone on so far is clearly unconstitutionality and illegality. Before you spend public funds, you need parliamentary approval. As an MP, at no time, did the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the GFA present the Black Stars budget to parliament. They had the effrontery, the audacity to tell us that they are going to spend public funds when they return, then they are now going to make an account and tell us what the budget is.
He pledged to present a motion to Speaker Alban Bagbin, calling for a comprehensive bipartisan parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
Ghana’s performance in AFCON 2023, where they exited without a win, prompted the GFA to take responsibility for the sub-par campaign. In a statement, the GFA acknowledged falling short of expectations and pledged to address the issues leading to the team’s underwhelming performance.