Sports
Hope new Sports Minister live by his word
In a few days, Ghana will have a new sports minister in the person of Mustapha Yusif, who is billed to take over from Isaac Kwame Asiamah, after a seemingly imposing performance during his vetting last week.
Asiamah is regarded as the people’s man and was expected to be retained for the next four years; and that would have been some fine record – but things did not go as envisaged. He had to settle for a term.
Indeed, only Enoch Teye Mensah (1993-2001) lasted two terms, and he was the longest serving. Interestingly, since the exit of ET, Asiamah is the only one to have finished his term. All others were blown off – sometimes in humiliatingly whirlwind fashions.
The shortest stay for any sports minister in Ghana was a month (February 14-March 14, 2001) – and it dangled the way of Mallam A.Y Isa after a supposed scandal.
Whilst Ghanaians await the approval of Yusif, it is the expectation of many that the incoming Sports Minister continues with the laudable infrastructural development across the country by his predecessor.
Ghana needs the sports facilities badly, especially when the nation is feverishly preparing to host the 2023 African Games for the first time.
Without any scintilla of doubt, putting up infrastructure is the surest way to harness and churn out talents – talents from the less-endowed disciplines, into future world beaters.
As he promised at his vetting, Yusif should do everything in his power to promote and develop the less-financed sport disciplines like weightlifting.
Weightlifting, for instance, clinched as many as eight of the 13 medals won for the nation at the last African Games in Morocco; yet continues to elicit negligible financial backing from government!
At a time that football’s passion continues to bulldoze its way in its quest to have the bigger chunk of the sports budget, the new sports minister would really have a lot on hand to chew.
If we consider the fact that sports have the potential of reducing the rising unemployment rate in the country, we do not need to be told that we have to invest in other areas aside football – which admittedly, is the passion of the nation.
There are thousands of talents in the so-called lesser-known sports, but have we considered what their future would be like when we fail to unearth and polish them up?
Come to think of it, once these fine talents decide to give up and throw their hands up at the snafu situation, they are likely to become millstones around the neck of society. What would happen next to them, one cannot tell.
Hope the incoming minister, who is former Executive Secretary of the National Service Secretariat and Member of Parliament for Yagaba Kubore in the North-East Region, knows the situation all-too well, to put in place the right measures and salvage the future of such talents.
He must be on the qui-vive and live by his word of supporting the ‘small sports’ to grow. Ghanaians will be watching with eagle eyes. We wish him well.
CAPTION:
Yusif – Set to succeed Asiamah
Attention will be at the Golden City Park in Berekum tomorrow as Hearts of Oak lock horns with Berekum Chelsea FC in a Ghana Premier League Matchday 6 game that promises an electrifying atmosphere.
Lying sixth on the league table with two wins and three draws, the Phobians visit a ground that has been favourable to them in recent times. In their last three visits to the Golden City Park, Hearts have amassed seven out of nine points, putting them in strong contention to win.
Head Coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani says, “The team is making progress in its tactical identity despite the lack of goals, and this is something we are working on ahead of this game.”
Hearts will come face-to-face with former coach Samuel Boadu, whose side lies a distant 13th on the league table with a win and a draw from four games. Coach Boadu is yet to celebrate a victory over the Phobians since joining the Berekum lads and would hope this fixture marks a turnaround.
Ninth-placed Vision FC would trek to the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem to play Bechem United, while new boys Hohoe United host Aduana FC at the Hohoe Sports Stadium.
Returnees Swedru All Blacks will welcome Basake Holy Stars to the Swedru Sports Stadium, with defending league champions Bibiani Gold Stars staying put at their backyard, the Dun’s Park, to welcome second-placed Heart of Lions FC on Monday.
Today at the TnA Stadium in Tarkwa, Medeama SC will clash with Samartex FC in a Western derby. Other games scheduled for today would see Eleven Wonders FC host Karela United at the Swedru Sports Stadium, while Dreams FC face Nations FC at the Tuba Astro Turf.
By Raymond Ackumey
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Ghana coach Otto Addo may not command the kind of fear and respect like Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique and others in the modern game, but in his small corner, he is gradually climbing the ladder to greatness in Ghana, Africa and the world at large.
The aforementioned coaches attained greatness with club sides and, therefore, open an argument over whether one is not comparing apples to oranges. But no matter how one looks at it, they are all coaches harbouring similar ambitions to attain greatness in their fields.
Otto Addo is one of the young and upcoming coaches holding a lot of promise and was getting experience with his association with Borussia Dortmund in Germany until his path was directed by a Ghana call.
Although he was born in Germany, Otto Addo’s association with Ghana football dates back to 1999, spanning a period of about seven years; commencing with a 5–0 rout of Eritrea on February 28. He gained international prominence when he joined the squad for the 2000 African Cup of Nations. He featured as a midfielder in the team for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
But like it’s often said, a prophet is not recognised in his own home and his efforts partially went unnoticed. He’ll go into the annals as one of the Black Stars coaches to have been fairly or otherwise criticised not just by ‘football people’ but fans who doubted him.
His sack has been discussed at various platforms by people whose knowledge and tactical acumen about the game remains questionable. Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Adams, at one point openly stated his doubts over Otto Addo’s ability to actually deliver.
No coach would feel secured in such turbulent times, but coach Otto Addo kept his calm and composure. On the corridors of his employers, however, the Ghana Football Association (GFA) president, Kurt Okraku, openly rallied support for him, though a few ‘doubting Thomases’ still questioned his credentials.
That painted a picture of a people that forget easily and are quick to crucify. In a brief moment of adversity, Ghanaians forgot how Otto Addo was brought in to pluck qualification for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup from the jaws of the Super Eagles of Nigeria with a solitary goal over two legs.
The upshot of that feat was not one any Nigerian would want to remember. The scenes after the match were awfully chaotic, as fans vented their anger on facilities at the stadium. Back in Ghana, it was partying all night and day.
Otto Addo was labeled the football magician. He achieved something no Ghanaian coach had ever accomplished; a feat which Ghana with her all-time best teams could not attain. That was the climax to which Otto Addo took Ghana football, generating calls to start believing in the Ghanaian coach.
Following that to the World Cup proper was another story altogether. It was, or may have been, our poorest show at any of the four World Cup appearances. And just as it was stipulated in his contract, he bowed out after the Qatar World Cup to mind his Borussia Dortmund business with peace.
But as fate would have it, nature found a way to renew his romance with Ghana football after an unconvincing start to the America, Canada and Mexico dream World Cup under special advisor turned coach, Chris Hughton.
Ghana started the qualifiers on a winning note but not a convincing performance. It was saved by an Inaki Williams goal scored on the sixth minute of additional time against Madagascar at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. The Black Stars then slumped to a 1-0 defeat at the Stade de Moroni to Comoros to heighten calls for a new technical direction.
Then stepped in Otto Addo when Ghana occupied the fourth position in Group I with three points but with the countries in the group evenly matched.
By Andrew Nortey
