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Our standards have fallen!
A nation’s football strength and sturdiness is evidenced by its international performance – especially, at the club level.
At present, our club football is in comatose!
That, for 15 years, no Ghanaian club have won any continental fleece should be enough to portray the state of frustration and near hopelessness local fans find themselves.
Hearts clinched the CAF Champions League in 2000 – 21 years ago, topping up with a CAF Confederation Cup feat four years later. Great achievement, but that is all there is to it.
For Asante Kotoko, their last continental feat was in 1983 when they annexed the African Clubs Championship trophy (now CAF Champions League) by beating Al Ahly of Egypt.
Ever since, both Hearts and Kotoko have failed to re-enact their past glory after a panoply of disappointing attempts.
As far back as December 14, 1997, Obuasi Goldfields (now AshantiGold SC) found themselves in the CAF Champions League finale, losing narrowly to Morocco’s Raja Casablanca 5–4 on penalties at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca – the two legs having failed to produce a winner (1-1).
Three years later came the Hearts’ accomplishment.
But truth is that the Ghanaian game has slumped drastically over the years – a saturnine situation that compelled the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to slash the nation’s continental slot, and maybe, given the opportunity, CAF might even take back the solitary window accorded us.
The slump may have hit its apogee last week, probably showcasing why Ghanaian clubs should take a back seat for a while, do a very deep introspection and self-absorption before endeavouring to embark on another dead-duck adventure.
As you may have been aware, Hearts were flushed out of their African campaign in the most outrageous manner.
After taking a 2-0 lead in the play-off stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, Hearts dashed for the return leg encounter full of beans, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, against Algeria’s JS Saoura – only to be hammered 4-0 after a rather shambolic performance, to bow out 4-2 on aggregate.
A month earlier or so, Hearts were whitewashed 6-1 in the preliminary stage of the Champions League by WAC of Morocco, after winning the opening fixture in Accra 1-0.
Conceding 10 goals in two away games against North African oppositions is as discomforting as ego-battering.
For a side that once dominated Africa and proceeded into the campaign as Ghanaian champions, last Sunday’s exit was pure mortification.
It must be reiterated that the performance of our clubs in Africa has for some time now been nothing to write home about. It is, perhaps, the snowballing effect of low investment and poor player quality.
Most of our premier clubs, today, have no corporate sponsorship and with pitiable attendance at games (even during pre-Covid 19 era), clubs are compelled to sell off their marquee players to their foreign counterparts for survival.
So, how do such clubs hope to compete on the same platform with their counterparts at the continental stage? Not possible! You cannot be ready for any serious competition, if you behave in this manner.
Our clubs ought to accept the fact that the game has changed completely. It is now more capital intensive than before. The planning and organisation of the game, too, is more demanding than used to be the case. Interestingly, we expect to reap a different result after doing same thing over time. It does not work like that.
Certainly, our local game is in some sort of crisis and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and its stakeholders may have to meet and find an efficacious panacea to reviving its fortunes.
By John Vigah
Ghana’s parliament has marked the 2nd edition of May Day 2026 under the theme “ Welcome Home”.
It was special day meant to celebrate the invaluable support of the workforce, recognizing the commitment, resilience, and contributions of workers to institutional growth and national development.
Delivering the message on behalf of the Speaker, the 1st Deputy Speaker, Bernard Ahiafor, described the theme as very apt, appropriate, and timely, noting that Parliament is more than a workplace, it is a shared home.
He emphasized that we cannot speak about work without speaking about people, reminding everyone that the true measure of our work is the well-being of our people.
He urged that our traditional clothing become an integral part of our everyday clothing, and that our local languages must become integral to our daily lives, interwoven into education and practiced at home.
Referencing Standing Order 63, which captures the use of local language as optional in deliberations, he encouraged a renewed commitment to identity, saying it is significant that we “come home” and present who we are so future generations can inherit a story they can fully tell.
The Clerk, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, in his remarks commended officers for their dedication and devotion to duty, calling on them to go the extra mile and leave legacies.
Echoing the reminder that an unexamined life is not worth living, he described the event as an invitation to reconnect with our roots through cultural revival.
The Deputy Clerk, C&FMS, Dr. Gloria Sarku Kumawu, urged all not to forget their roots, the people behind the stories of ministries, industries, and the strides made both in-house and beyond.
What began last year has now become a meaningful tradition, showcasing Ghanaian heritage, fostering unity, and encouraging innovation under the principle of diversity for unity and diversity for progress, she added.
The gathering brought together leadership, public officials, and staff across all levels, along with the media, standing as a unifying platform that honored service, celebrated culture, and reaffirmed a shared commitment to national development.
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
