Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh has urged government to step in and address issues in the country’s football, even if it means facing potential sanctions from FIFA.
This follows the ‘SaveGhanaFootball’ demonstration which took place on Wednesday, February 14, in a bid to advocate improvement in Ghana football.
Addressing the concerns raised by dissatisfied football enthusiasts during the protest, Annoh-Dompreh emphasised the need for the government’s intervention to bring about positive changes in Ghana’s football landscape.
“We must be humble enough to accept there is something wrong with the running of our senior national team, the Black Stars,” stated Annoh-Dompreh, who represents Nsawam-Adoagyiri in Parliament. “There is something definitely wrong with them.”
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Expressing dissatisfaction with generic calls for reforms, Annoh-Dompreh stressed the importance of specific and targeted measures to address the issues plaguing Ghana’s football. He even went as far as suggesting that the government should be prepared to interfere, even if it leads to sanctions from FIFA.
“Even if we have to interfere to attract the sanction of FIFA… if that is what we should come to, we must do it,” he declared.
The ‘SaveGhanaFootball’ demonstration saw protesters expressing their discontent with the recent decline in the performance of the Black Stars and other national teams, as well as lamenting the state of domestic leagues.
The Black Stars have faced disappointment in their last three major competitions, exiting from the group stage in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and one World Cup.
As part of the demonstration, the conveners of ‘SaveGhanaFootball’ presented a 15-point petition to the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, outlining their grievances and calling for decisive actions to revitalise Ghana’s footballing landscape.
In 2018, Ghana’s football foundation faced a significant upheaval following an exposé by Anas Aremeyaw Anas. This resulted in the dissolution of the association, replaced by a temporary normalization committee. Subsequently, Kurt Okraku assumed leadership after winning the 2019 elections to head the new Ghana Football Association (GFA).
Football enthusiasts continue to anticipate the response of the authorities as they yearn for change.