Almost 20 years ago when I started reading
newspapers and keenly followed news and current affairs, my favourite sports
paper was Kwabena Yeboah, the Writer’s Africa
Sports. Aided by my mum, coming by newspapers generally wasn’t difficult. And
when I could afford them myself with the money given to me for school, Africa Sports particularly benefited
from me.
I was about 15 years. I remember reading independent-minded
write-ups by the Writer himself; Kofi Opare-Addo, Karl Tuffour and other writers
whose names I’ve forgotten. Later on, articles and stories by Michael Oti Adjei
and the late Tony Owusu Amofa became like my lesson notes.
I hardly missed an edition which had the stories
and opinion pieces of these two. Those were the days that, I read of Black Star
players paying their own airfares to represent Ghana. Those were the days that
I read that, the GFA and indeed the Ministry of Youth and Sports couldn’t afford
Economy Class tickets for national team players, not to talk of Business Class
ones.
Reports of such humiliating stories in Africa Sports were unbiased. The reader would
end up learning something new and further, pass informed judgement. No
disrespect to the Writer, Kwabena Yeboah; but he’s the only one that can best explain
the demise of Africa Sports.
And it’s not only Africa Sports that has been dead. The practice of Black Star players
footing the bills of their air trips has as well been dead years back. It’s
not difficult to tell you why. Anyone who has closely followed Ghana football
over the last two decades will agree without stress that, the current
administration at the Ghana Football Association (GFA), led by Kwesi Nyantakyi has
done well transforming the Black Stars into a global brand.
Questions over their management of domestic football
always come up but under their tenure, the Black Stars have undoubtedly become attractive
that, degrading stories of players paying their own airfares ended long ago.
But now we are being told that, Dede Ayew would be paying for the air tickets
of seven players when they come for the AFCON qualifier against Rwanda.
We’re told that, Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuye
says his Ministry doesn’t have the money to carter for the tickets. The
Ministry wants to use their limited resources on other things. GFA Spokesman,
Ibrahim Sannie Daara told Accra based Happy FM that, some of the players have
opted to pay for their teammates. Is that how low and populist we want to be?
Sannie, my senior colleague, ought to know better.
Even if that populist decision is right, how long will Dede Ayew be taking up
the responsibilities of the state? Let’s face it: We’ve come to this point not because
Ghana is so poor that, it can’t fund activities of her senior national team.
We’re here only because of the bad blood
between the GFA and the Minister. The Minister and the GFA should spare Ghanaians
their name-calling in the media; sit around tables like men; discuss their differences
maturely lest their rift would soon hurt our football fatally.
Isn’t it true that, the conflict between the GFA
and the Minister takes new dimensions every week? It’s pathetic that, the
people caught in this vicious, unnecessary media-war, each trying to look good
in the eyes of the public, don’t see the embarrassment they causing the nation.
Leaders must not be mean towards each other when
all that’s expected from them are solutions to problems. Please, Hon. Nii Lante
Vanderpuye and Kwesi Nyantakyi; you obviously have issues with how things have
been handled by either by of you. The public knows it. You can’t hide it. Your
feud is unnecessary. The path you have both taken to resolve it isn’t the best.
Get over chilled drinks on a table; sit, openly talk; iron out your differences
and save Ghana.
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