Prez Mahama promises support for Ghanaian clubs competing in Africa

President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaian football clubs competing in continental competitions of support through the newly established Sports Development Fund. He gave the assurance when he welcomed Ghanaian clubs preparing to represent the country in various African tournaments at the Presidency. President Mahama described football as an important tool for promoting Ghana's image, noting that the sport had helped make Ghanaian clubs and football legends known beyond the country's borders. 'Football is a very good branding instrument for any country. Soccer is followed by millions of people across the world,' he stated. The President recalled the days when Ghanaian clubs, including Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak, were among the strongest teams on the African continent. He, however, expressed concern that the country's fortunes in club football had declined over the years. 'In those days, Ghana was one of the titans of African soccer, especially at the club level. Not anymore. Our fortunes at the club level have dwindled, and we need to find out why,' he noted. President Mahama stressed the need for Ghana to rebuild strong clubs capable of competing and winning major trophies on the continent. He commended individuals who use their personal resources to support football clubs and acknowledged the financial burden involved in running the teams. According to him, the government had established the Sports Development Fund to support both national teams and Ghanaian clubs that qualify for continental competitions. He explained that although the fund was still in its early stages and had limited resources, the government would provide some support to the clubs. 'As the Sports Development Fund grows, we will be able to give you bigger contributions when you go out to Africa,' he assured. President Mahama expressed hope that the clubs would perform better in this year's continental competitions and overcome their opponents. He called for greater attention and investment in women's football, arguing that Ghana's women's national teams had won more trophies than their male counterparts. 'Women's soccer, indeed, we've done much better in women's soccer than in men's soccer. Women have won more trophies for us than men, and yet we put all the money in men's soccer,' he stated. The President further called for efforts to identify and develop young football talents, raising concerns about the decline of the Colts football system, which previously helped groom young players. He asked the Ghana Football Association to explain what had happened to the Colts League and urged stakeholders to prioritise the development of young talents to restore Ghana's football fortunes. By: Jacob Aggrey