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Black Stars, a team in crisis (Part 1)
The Black Stars squad for AFCON 2023 IN Cote d’Ivoire
Gradually, the mention of the Black Stars, referencing the senior national male football team, is becoming a nuisance in the ears of Ghanaian fans and non-fans.
It used to be a team that brought joy to Ghanaians despite winning nothing.
That notwithstanding, the fans chose to adore the team; not purposefully for the result they produce but the sight of some of the great players that put the nation on the map as a football powerhouse.
But it has become very difficult to write about this team and lump all the generations together.
It is easier when one separates the trophy-winning generations without recognisable reward packages from the overly-pampered, over-hyped and paid generation that has added nothing to what their predecessors won or achieved.
Perhaps, it is the reason Ghana’s Black Stars trophy cabinet still has only four trophies – all AFCON, with the last in 1982 regardless of the huge expenditure that goes into bonuses, accommodation, preparation for games, logistics and many others.
The excuse has always been about the evolution of the game and the fact that more countries have developed or improved.
Others also held the view of the game becoming more competitive and has moved from the era where only four countries took part in the AFCON.
But from Ghana’s performance in the last two AFCONs, especially Cote d’Ivoire 2023, one can easily argue that Chris Hughton’s Black Stars would not have qualified to the final in that four-nation AFCON.
The team has won the AFCON four times (1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982), and finished as runners-up on five occasions (1968, 1970, 1992, 2010, and 2015).
That clearly explains the quality and seriousness of the generations.
For over 40 years, there is no credible achievement to be attributed to the team; be it AFCON or World Cup.
When the Black Stars secured Ghana’s first World Cup qualification for Germany 2006 that was equated to about two AFCON trophies by a few overzealous and excited fans; but they can be pardoned because the ecstasy and elation that followed was overwhelming.
After four editions, a quarterfinal berth became the highest feat and Africa country chalked until Morocco did the unthinkable – a semifinal berth.
In spite of Ghana’s form, a few brave-hearted fans trusted the Black Stars to deliver at the ongoing AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire.
Interestingly, the campaign crashed painfully in a repeat of the 2021 edition and manner that should even make every member of the team resign from whatever role assigned to him or her.
The Cameroun AFCON marked a sad end with an ego-battering 3-2 defeat to Comoros at the Roumdjé Adjia Stadium in Garoua.
That was after the Black Stars had managed to pick just a point in their first two matches.
It left them with a huge task of winning at all cost after losing their Group C opener 1-0 to Morocco and surrendered a lead to Gabon in the second game.
When it got to the crunch against the Islanders from Comoros, the Black Stars conceded late to complete a shambolic show at what was expected to be the biggest platform for African countries to show the world what they were made of.
The ‘Director’ for that ‘play’ in Cameroun was returnee Serbian trainer Milovan Rajevac.
It appears Hughton was presented with the same script but altered a few scene to make the play his own.
He met sharks from another Island – Cape Verde in a Group B opener and lost as Ghana’s struggles against Islanders continued.
By Andrew Nortey
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Focus on more pressing issues like Galamsey, not hate speech – Ellen Ama Daaku to Mahama
An aide to former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia,Ellen Ama Daaku has advised President John Dramani Mahama to shift his attention from social media hate speech to more urgent national issues such as illegal mining.
Speaking in an interview, she noted that the President’s recent comments about tracking the IP addresses of people who spread hate speech were unnecessary.
According to her, President Mahama must first define what he considers to be hate speech before seeking to punish people for it.
Ms. Daaku argued that the President himself had benefitted from hate speech and social media attacks in the past when he was in opposition.
She said even during his time in government, he described his opponents and their tribesmen in unpalatable terms, which later drew complaints from former President Nana Akufo-Addo to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
She stressed that harsh criticism of leaders on social media should not automatically be considered hate speech, adding that former leaders, including former President Nana Akufo-Addo had all been subjected to it.
“He is only feeling what Nana Akufo-Addo went through for eight years,” she remarked.
While acknowledging the need to regulate misconduct online, Ms. Daaku insisted that going after social media activists should not be a priority.
She noted that many political activists, including herself, had been insulted and attacked online but never called for arrests.
She concluded that President Mahama should focus his energy on solving pressing problems such as galamsey and the economy instead of concentrating on critics on social media.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
