Save Ghana Football Demo Underway

Some members of the Ghanaian football fraternity led by journalist Saddick Adams have hit the streets of Accra to spell out their frustrations over some displeasing acts in Ghana football.

Dubbed “Save Ghana Football”, the protesters massed up at the Obra Spot at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in the Greater Accra Region for their match against the Ghana Football Association (GFA) with hundreds in attendance.

Clad in black branded shirts and Black Stars jerseys, protesters held placards with some reading, “Football is for all of us,” “Mo adi kakra a ƐyƐ,” “Ma try ‘akwe’ GFA” and “We’ve lost the integrity of the game.”

The protest has taken the first spot on X trends.

Meanwhile, key personalities in the country have lent their support to the demonstration with former GFA Chairman Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe calling it long overdue.

“Concerning your protest march, I support it fully and I will say it’s long overdue. Leaders of this country should know that the source of their power is the people and the people’s game is football. It is their passion. So when that particular game is failing, then government must know that it’s failing,” he told Saddick during a courtesy call.

The protesters are registering their displeasure over some factors they believe propelled the early exit of Ghana from the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Cote d’Ivoire.

They secured a police permit for the course on January 31, 2024.

Among their demands is a reduction in budgetary allocation to the senior national team for tournaments, a review of player selection criteria and dedication from the FA.

“The money we invest in the sport must be directed into the right channel. We need to have a training complex by now for our footballers. Our league must be positioned well to boost the economy. Our U15 and U17 must be open for all to join as they used to be…Our budget for tournaments must be reduced and diverted to better courses. We need devoted, dedicated and patriotic players for our tournaments. We all need patriotic authorities to lead such tournaments not for money.”

The Blacks Stars put up an unsatisfactory performance in the AFCON, which saw them exit the tournament for the second time in a row at the group stage.

The team failed to win any of their three group games and ended with two points from a loss and two draws.

Their dramatic exit ended the role of Irish football manager Chris Hughton and his technical team with a five-member committee instituted to scout for a new head coach for onward approval by the Executive Council.

However, some football fanatics have kicked against the move, arguing that replacing the coach will be a superficial solution to the mess and will have no impact on the deep cracks the entire country’s football is suffering.