President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed concerns about the decline in Ghana’s Sports.
The President, in his State of the Nation Address before Parliament on Tuesday, February 27, lamented the early exit of the Black Stars from the recent African Cup of Nations (AFCON) where Ivory Coast emerged as champions.
“It is fair to say that, since the disappointing events of Brazil 2014, many Ghanaians have been let down by the recent performances of the Black Stars. Various efforts have been made to revitalize the national team and reignite the passion of the people with mixed levels of success. The latest AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire was perhaps the lowest point in the Black Stars’ performance and has left the nation disheartened,
“However, I am confident that the players and coaching staff themselves wanted to bring pride to our nation, and I trust that captain Andre Dede Ayew truly meant his heartfelt apologies on behalf of his teammates to all Ghanaians for the team’s early elimination,” acknowledged the President.
He promised to rejuvenate the Sports sector and outlined his strategies saying, “I believe it is time for us to adopt a long-term, visionary approach to fix what has gone wrong. It is time to focus on scouting, nurturing, and developing talent at the grassroots level in districts under a Presidential Football Policy that I plan to introduce. The Ministry of Education’s school sports department will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in coordination with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), to establish district, regional, and national youth teams for both boys and girls.”
“The more than one hundred and fifty (150) astro turf pitches built across the country under this administration provide the foundational facilities to start with, as we aim to construct more. We should see a gradual progression of talent from junior teams to senior sides based purely on merit,” he reiterated.
The President also highlighted the notable performance of the senior Women’s team, the Black Queens, and wished them success in their upcoming matches.
He announced with pleasure that Ghana is fully prepared to host the 13th edition of the African Games, showcasing the country’s high-quality sports facilities.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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