The government has announced plans to make school sports competitions an annual event as part of efforts to develop football and create a sustainable pipeline of talent for Ghana’s national teams.
Sports Minister Kofi Adams made the comments while responding to calls by some Ghanaians for the dissolution of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) following the Black Stars’ failure to progress at the World Cup.
He was also asked to outline the government’s plans to pursue a comprehensive football development agenda that goes beyond the senior national team.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Newsight on the broader plan for football development beyond the senior national team, Mr Adams said the government’s focus is on rebuilding the foundation of sports through sustained investment in grassroots development.
He said President John Dramani Mahama remains committed to the growth of sports, particularly football, and believes strengthening youth structures is critical to improving the fortunes of the Black Stars.
He explained that school sports, which historically served as a major pathway for identifying and nurturing sporting talents in Ghana, must be restored as a key component of the country’s sports development strategy.
“That is part of the reason we have indicated that school sports, which have been the basis of us developing our sports, must come back to stay. The whole idea of having school sports being organised every other year should change to every year,” he stated.
According to the Minister, investment in grassroots sports will be sustained to ensure young talents are identified and developed across various disciplines, including football.
He noted that building strong youth teams at the Under-15, Under-17, and Under-20 levels would eventually translate into improved performances by the senior national team.
“Consistently, if we build and enlist at the youth level, that is the U-15s, the U-17s, the U-20s, then you can see this impact will be felt at the senior national level. That will take time,” he said.
Mr Adams added that the government will continue efforts to improve local football, promote fair and transparent player selection, and create an environment that motivates players to perform at their best.
“For now, we have to continue hunting, we have to continue improving locally, and we have to continue looking for and getting the playing body to have a certain ambience and page to want to do more,” he added.
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