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Stop the sloganeering! …four-time champions, and so what?
Blue-blistering barnacles! (apologies to Captain Haddock in the Adventures of Tintin).
So, it came to pass rather devastatingly that the Black Stars of Ghana crumbled like a pack of cards at the ongoing African Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
A lame loss to Morocco, disappointing draw to Gabon and an outrageous defeat at the hands of debutants Comoro Islands were enough to see Ghana crash at the group stage. The world stood in disbelief as the Stars only managed a single point from a possible nine.
The BBC, CNN, Aljazeera, Sky Sports, Supersport – name them, all had a field day with reports of Ghana’s unimaginable slump to the nation of 869,595 people (according to the 2020 World Bank population), with some of the ‘poetic-imageries’ making fun of the Black Stars.
Some African football experts like Mark Gleeson were startled, wondering whether they were really seeing the early departure of Ghana. It was a crazy moment, but that symbolizes the current standard of the nation’s football.
And, of course by now, we must be honest to ourselves and announce to the entire world that we are no longer one of the giants of African football.
Indeed, our football has sunk almost into the abyss and we can only resurrect from that unenviable tag once we recognize that we are no longer one of the best at the moment.
The sloganeering, the mantra and the shibboleth of four-time African champions that we often scream at the least opportunity, must stop henceforth. It means nothing now to anybody, especially majority of the youth who have never seen the Stars lift any trophy.
Is it not shameful and distressing that when Ghana won its fourth Nations Cup in 1982, Cameroon had not even set eyes on the coronet for once? Today, the Cameroonians have clinched it five times and has a team that is demonstrating an extremely promising future to the world.
In the same vein, the Pharaohs of Egypt had lifted the trophy just twice at the time Ghana won it for keeps in 1982. Interestingly, the Pharaohs have gone ahead to annex it a staggering five more times. Today, we are not only known as the sleeping giants of African football, but we have slipped into a nadir of shame and ignominy due to the disturbing level of mediocrity of our players.
Now, the Stars are rapidly gaining notoriety of qualifying for tournaments they cannot hope to win. And, this is the major reason why you no longer see flags flying when they play. This is not a matter of lack of nationalism, patriotism or loyalty. The let-downs are a bit too many to rekindle any love story.
Indeed, let us not be pretentious about that. If a team you support wholeheartedly makes it a routine occurrence to let you down when the expectation is all-too high, your support will naturally wane one day. That is the situation now.
The writings had always been on the wall even before our penultimate tournament where we crashed out at the last-16 stage three years ago in Egypt. The Sword of Damocles had always been hanging around the neck of our football all these while; but like ostriches, we plunged out heads in the sand. We blatantly refused to see when it was even visible to the blind.
Today, the beloved Stars have become a subject of revulsion and rejection. They are no longer appreciated. They are eulogized no more. Their mere sight even put people off! In short, they are not loved but loathed.
Truth is that until they lift up their game and start performing again, it would be difficult to get the love back. Maybe, that revival must start with getting the result over Nigeria in the impending World Cup play-off against Nigeria, this March.
Anything short of that would rather aggravate the situation!
By John Vigah
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
