Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communications, has expressed concern over the dwindling interest in sports among Ghanaians, highlighting the nation’s struggle to rekindle enthusiasm for its sports teams.
He posited that the Black Stars’ inability to secure a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has amplified this crisis.
“We didn’t perform at all. It wasn’t even abysmal,” Kwakye Ofosu stated. “We just didn’t perform. The lack of qualification has caused many Ghanaians to lose hope in the national teams.”
He emphasized that this apathy extends to premier league clubs—such as Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
For the first time in years, Kwakye Ofosu admitted that even he doesn’t recognize a single player from either of these iconic clubs. “Sports is essentially dead in this country,” he declared.
“It’s hard to rekindle public interest in supporting national teams when there’s no confidence in their performance,” he opined on TV3’s KeyPoints, January 25.
Beyond the lackluster performance on the field, Kwakye Ofosu pointed out the deep-seated issues within the sports sector that have hindered progress.
“There are long-standing problems that have plagued the sports sector for years, and these challenges continue to persist despite efforts from different administrations.
The sector remains a ‘banana peel’ for many ministers who struggle to bring meaningful change.”
Kwakye Ofosu acknowledged the significant barriers to resolving these issues, particularly the complex ministerial tasks involved.
“Sports requires a certain level of skill and attention to detail. It is not an easy task to bring about real change,” he noted.
While not every ministry will receive a deputy, some, due to their size and scope of problems, will see appointments of deputies to ensure focused and effective leadership.
As Ghanaians wait for further updates, it remains to be seen whether these efforts will be enough to revive interest in the country’s sports scene and restore faith in the national teams.
Until then, the road to rebuilding Ghanaian sports will undoubtedly be a challenging one.
