Disband GFA Black Stars coach search committee – North Tongu MP Ablakwa

In a recent development, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, has called for the immediate disbandment of the search committee set up by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to find a new coach for the Black Stars. Ablakwa emphasizes the necessity of a complete overhaul of the country's sporting structure and the formulation of a national sports policy to regulate sporting activities.

Ablakwa, who previously alleged that the Youth and Sports Ministry budgeted an estimated $8.5 million for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) without parliamentary approval, expressed his concerns in Kumasi. He urged the GFA to suspend the coach search committee and addressed the broader issues in Ghana's sports infrastructure.

“There's the need for us as a country to overhaul sporting departments of our country. I'm appalled that Ghana doesn't have a national sports policy. You keep hiring coaches, what is the vision for our sports football in particular? What is the plan for our infrastructure? Ghana doesn't have a FIFA-certified pitch, what are the managers of football doing? Suspend all these international sporting competitions that we have been disgracing ourselves, and let's get to the basics.”

He specifically called for the disbandment of the coach search committee, stating, “That committee [coach search committee] that they have set up should be disbanded; we don't need to be rushing for coaches. How many coaches are we going to have within a few months?”

Ablakwa also hinted at pushing for a bipartisan parliamentary probe into the budget of the AFCON 2023 tournament, emphasizing the alleged unconstitutionality and illegality of the expenditure without parliamentary approval.

“It's important to emphasize that what has gone on so far is clearly unconstitutionality and illegality. Before you spend public funds, you need parliamentary approval.”

In response to Ghana's disappointing performance in AFCON 2023, the GFA took responsibility, acknowledging that the Black Stars' campaign “fell short of the high expectations we all share.” The statement did not directly address Ablakwa's calls for the disbandment of the coach search committee or the broader issues raised regarding the country's sports infrastructure.

— END —