Sports Minister calls for complete rebuilding of Ghana’s football system

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, has called for a complete rebuilding of Ghana’s football system, saying the country needs a deliberate and sustainable approach to developing the sport from the grassroots to the national level.

He said Ghana football required more than temporary interventions and cosmetic changes, stressing the need to reconstruct the development pathway to consistently identify, nurture and produce talented players.

Mr Adams stated this when he addressed the 32nd Ordinary Congress of the Ghana Football Association (GFA). He said Ghana had a rich football history, talented players, passionate supporters and clubs with strong potential, but those resources were not being fully developed to sustain the growth of the sport.

“We must accept that Ghana football requires rebuilding. Not cosmetic changes or scattered programmes, but a deliberate reconstruction of our development pathway,” he said.

He expressed concern about the decline in the conveyor belt of young talent and questioned whether the existing system was adequately identifying and developing players from the youth level through to the national teams.

He said the rebuilding of Ghana football must also focus on strengthening clubs as sustainable institutions rather than relying mainly on the sale of players.

Mr Adams urged clubs to develop their academies, facilities, brands, supporter bases, digital audiences and relationships with their communities.

He questioned the impact of recent government interventions, including the provision of GH¢1 million to each Premier League club, and challenged clubs to demonstrate what such investments had achieved.

“What did this build? Did it create a commercial department, supporter database, or better facilities? Or did it simply sustain the status quo?” he asked.

He said government support should contribute to lasting improvements in football institutions and not merely help clubs finance one season after another.

The Minister called for improvements in supporter engagement and stadium safety, referring to the death of supporter Nana Pooley at Nsoatre as a reminder of the need for responsible leadership and safer football environments.

“Supporters do not owe football their attendance; football must earn their trust,” he added

He said the development of Ghana football must also extend to women’s football, with greater attention to girls’ football, coaching and player development pathways.

According to him, the success of the Black Stars and Black Queens on the international stage would depend largely on the strength of the domestic football system that produces and develops players.

Mr Adams urged the GFA, clubs and other stakeholders to take a long-term approach to football development and ensure that investments produce measurable improvements.

He challenged stakeholders to consider what they were building, who they were developing, the value being created for supporters and how Ghana football should look in the next five years.

He said a stronger football system would require collective responsibility and sustained investment across all levels of the game.