Editorial
Ayekoo, Hasaacas Ladies!
Ghana is a football nation and no matter how one looks at it, the country has the potential to organise itself into a formidable force in both men and women football tournaments.
The splendid performance of Hasaacas Ladies in the just-ended 2021 CAF Women’s Champions League in Cairo, Egypt, is a case in point.
Even though many people trusted Hasaacas Ladies in the CAF competition, this hope became generally higher, though not as high as it is today, after the competition and also their second-place position in the tournament.
In spite of this, Hasaacas Ladies proved that they were a force to reckon with. After the impressive performance at the group stages, confidence in them soared and after going through the semi-final stage, people now believed that the team was capable of bringing the maiden trophy home.
Unfortunately, this was not so as their South African counterparts, proving to be a better side, won the trophy and showed that they were worthy champions.
This should be understandable since no matter how good or ambitious any competitor might be only one champion will emerge. Thus, even though many Ghanaian lovers of women football were disappointed, they took it in good faith and hoped for better luck next time.
The lessons here are that, first of all, women football has come of age in Ghana and ought to be supported by everyone in terms of sponsorship. This means that corporate bodies, individuals and government should be prepared to support women football in this regard.
It is equally important for Ghana Football Association to pay great attention not only to the organisation of male football league in the country, but also to the female versions in any part of the country irrespective of the level or status of the women football, whether in the premier league, first, second or third division or at any other level.
At the same time, people in Ghana should also go to the football fields to cheer up and watch our female players or ladies as a way of encouraging them in their choice of game. If we all help and give our support in this way the sky will be the limit as far as women football is concerned.
The aim of the nation should be to lift women football to the highest level, whether at the continental level or in the world as a whole. Achieving this is possible but we need to organise ourselves better than we are doing now.
If we do this many of our football ladies can get opportunities to play football and earn foreign exchange to support their families and the nation as a whole. If players in our male clubs are able to do this, then players in the female teams can do same, so the time to move in this direction is now.
Again, winning bonuses paid to the female teams should be respectably pegged at high levels and made reasonable to make our women feel appropriately valued by the entire nation.
The insurance companies in the country can also come on board to support both men and women football in the country. The good thing about insurance here is that in times of injuries and other casualties funds can be provided to cover them, thereby encouraging them to give of their best during football competitions.
In addition, individuals can also be organised on regional basis to generate the raising of funds to support women football in the country. This can be done on competitive basis to stimulate more people and rope them into such competitive fund-raising ventures.
Ghana today has come of age so its women football ought to be fully supported by everyone and made complete and highly successful at all fronts and also at all levels.
Football is the passion of the nation, so every effort must be made to unite the people of Ghana, bring down tensions where necessary, make everyone happy and urge us on for the attainment of national goals and development.
The point to note in all this is that women football in Ghana has come of age and need to be supported by all and sundry to make women football in the country more result-oriented at the African and global levels.
This is a positive and remarkable agenda that cannot be allowed to slip but be fully supported to succeed at all cost and help place Ghana in the world map of football.
Congratulations, Hasaacas Ladies. Ghanaians are proud of you.
Dear Editor,
It is often said that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. However, this saying becomes worrying when the health of citizens is threatened by the conditions under which the food they consume daily is sold.
In Ghana, the conditions under which food is sold is quite disturbing. Over the years, I have observed that the environments where food is prepared and sold are often unhygienic.
In many cases, containers holding food such as rice and waakye are left uncovered or not properly covered, exposing them to contamination.
While many Ghanaians paid little attention in the past to the conditions under which food was sold, the narrative seems to be changing in recent years.
I recall an incident during my days in Senior High School (S.H.S.) when my friends and I went out to buy food. At one location, some of us chose not to buy because we assumed the food would be expensive due to how neat the place looked.
Unfortunately, we ended up purchasing food from a different place that was somewhat unhygienic. We overlooked the poor conditions because we believed the quantity offered was better than at the cleaner location.
However, I am certain that my friends and I would not repeat such a mistake today, as we now understand the health implications of that decision.
While public education is important in addressing this issue, I believe it is time for regulatory and law enforcement agencies, such as the Food and Drug Authority (FDA), to crack the whip on food sellers and vendors who operate in unhygienic environments and conditions.
As citizens, we must also be mindful of where we buy our food to protect ourselves and our families from diseases and illnesses. We should choose ‘quality’ over ‘quantity’ and prioritize our health.
From Syram
Oyarifa
Dear Editor,
I write to express concern and call for improved security measures before and after every football match.
The recent robbery attack that led to the tragic death of a player, on their return from a Match day 29 game against Samartex, is both shocking and heartbreaking.
The incident, which reportedly occurred around 10:30 p.m., highlights the growing risks faced by players and team officials while traveling.
Football is meant to unite and entertain, not to expose lives to danger. It is therefore imperative that authorities, the Ghana Football Association, and security agencies put in place adequate protection for teams, especially during late-night travels.
I strongly urge all stakeholders to treat this matter with urgency to prevent such unfortunate incidents from recurring.
From Eugene Ampiaw
Accra
