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UNODC and GFA Foundation donate football & Sports items to Ankaful Prison
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The Ghana Football Association, through the GFA Foundation and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), have presented football & various sports items and logistics to the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, located in the Central Region, at an impressive ceremony.
The presentation of the football items and logistics is part of the GFA Foundation-Ghana Prisons Project, which seeks to use the power of football to promote the wellbeing, welfare, reformation, rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates of Ghana’s prisons into society.
The presentation of the sports items, including basketball hoops and balls, footballs, and volleyballs presented by the UNODC, was in line with the “Strengthening the compliance of the Ghana Prisons Service with the Nelson Mandela Rules” project.
The Ankaful Maximum Security Prison is the first prison facility under the second phase of the GFA Foundation-Ghana Prisons Project to receive football items including jerseys, footballs, goalkeepers’ gloves and sets of football hose.
The other items are whistles and caution cards (yellow & red cards) and ball pump needles.
In a short meeting with the Regional Commander and senior officers of the facility, the Director of the GFA Foundation, Malcolm Frazier Appeadu commended them for the hard work and the diligence which ensures the safe custody of prisoners.
He admonished them to make good use of the items donated so as to derive the maximum benefit from the project.
In response, the Regional Commander and the Officer-in-Charge of the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison, Deputy Director of Prisons, Alfred Codjoe thanked the GFA and the UNODC for the donation and the upcoming training programmes.
“Sports and especially football and other physical activities help in managing and safeguarding the welfare and security of prisoners especially those here with long prison sentences,”he added.
He further expressed his gratitude to the Central Regional Football Association for their continuous support and assistance in organizing football matches for the inmates and officers at the facility
The GFA Foundation – Ghana Prisons Project is based on three pillars: The first pillar is the donation of football items and logistics; the two other equally important pillars are coaching and refereeing training programmes for inmates and officers, and advocacy workshops to sensitize the public and the citizenry on the negative impact of discrimination and stigmatization of prisons and prisoners.
An exhibition match played between the officers and inmates ended in a goalless draw.
A former Black Stars player, Emmanuel Agyeman Badu who was the football legend and icon for the day, as part of the advocacy against the negative perception of prisons and prisoners, expressed his excitement at being at a prison facility for the first time and seeing the inmates in high spirits and interacting with them.
He encouraged the inmates to be of good behaviour and cooperate with the officers and be law abiding. “I will visit you again with my former Black Stars colleagues to play a match and I can assure you that we will win”, he stated confidently.
The UNODC Prison and Penal Reform Project-Ghana were represented at the presentation ceremony by Mr. Christoph Capelle, Project Coordinator, Helena Adobea Ofori, Associate Programme Officer, Caleb Elorm Agodzo, Administrative Officer, Mr. Tony Amaechi, International Consultant, and DSP. Stephen Aboagye, Focal Person for Training, GPS/UNODC/INL project.
Accompanying the Director of the GFA Foundation were Mr. Kwame Koramoah and Emmanuel Kpab from the GFA Head Office.
Senior Officers of the Prison facility present were Second-in-Command, Assistant Director of Prisons, Roger Azanya, CSP Jennifer Addae, Physician Assistant, Supt Frank Ameho, Head of Sports, ASP Emmanuel Otoo, Deputy Head of Sports, SCO Amoah Saah – Senior Chief Officer Administration, all of the Ankaful Maximum Security Prison and ASP Naomi Fainusatu Abdulai, Head of Ghana Prisons Football Teams.
The first phase of the GFA Foundation-Ghana Prisons project covered 6 prison facilities, these being the Senior Correctional Centre (Borstal Home) in the Greater Accra Region, Sunyani Male and Female Prisons in Bono Region, Akuse Local Prison and Nsawam Medium Security Prison in the Eastern Region and the Winneba Local Prison in the Central Region.
Accra Hearts of Oak and Dreams FC will headline Matchday 5 of the Ghana Premier League when the two sides meet at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium tomorrow, with both clubs seeking a result that could shape their early season campaign.
The encounter comes at a crucial moment for the two sides with the Phobians looking to recover from their first defeat of the campaign and Dreams still searching for their first victory after four matches.
The Rainbow lads started the season strongly but were beaten 1-0 by Karela United last weekend, while Dreams suffered a slim 1-0 defeat to Bechem United.
Hearts had earlier recorded impressive victories over Berekum Chelsea and Bibiani Gold Stars before drawing goalless with Bechem United, leaving the club with seven points from their opening four matches.
Their defeat at Karela United, however, means they will be under pressure to quickly return to winning ways against a Dreams side determined to make home advantage count.
Dreams, meanwhile, have endured a difficult beginning to the campaign and will see tomorrow’s fixture as an opportunity to change their fortunes.
The ‘Still Believe’ side have collected points from only their opening draws and are yet to register a victory, making the meeting with one of the country’s traditional giants an important test of their character.
Elsewhere, Vision FC will welcome Bibiani Gold Stars to the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex today, with both teams looking to strengthen their positions.
Vision have shown encouraging form in the early stages, while Gold Stars will be seeking a response after suffering a 2-0 home defeat to newcomers Port City FC.
At the Debibi Presby Park, newly promoted Debibi United will face defending champions Medeama SC tomorrow.
Medeama finally opened their account with a convincing 4-1 victory over Basake Holy Stars and will be hoping that the result marks the beginning of a stronger title defence.
Port City FC will continue their impressive debut campaign when they host Bechem United at the Daasebere Boamah Darko II Park.
Basake Holy Stars will attempt to recover from their heavy defeat to Medeama when they host Berekum Chelsea at the Ampain AAK II Sports Arena.
Aduana FC will welcome Swedru All Blacks to the Nana Agyemang Badu I Park after producing one of the weekend’s most notable results last Sunday.
At the Kpando Stadium, Heart of Lions will host FC AshantiGold ’04 in another meeting between sides coming off victories.
FC Samartex 1996 will meanwhile welcome Young Apostles FC to the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, with the home side seeking to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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Tuesday, September 29, 2026 would go into the annals of Ghana football as one of the darkest days for the Black Stars.
In an AFCON 2027 qualifier against The Gambia, the Black Stars did not only break the hearts of the fans, but conceded a defeat that left followers with sleepless nights.
Coming from a Matchday 1 defeat to the Elephants of La Cote d’Ivoire in Bouake, the outcome of the second game against The Gambia was one that was non-negotiable.
It had the ability to spark a revival to contend for one of the slots for the next AFCON showpiece.
The Gambia is a formidable side but definitely, not one to have frustrated Ghanaians to watch in pain and awe the Black Stars lose a game from a winning position.
That is a possibility in the game of football but when the stakes are high in such cases, it becomes unacceptable to the fans.
And grievously has Carlos Queiroz answered the massive call for his resignation.
At his post-match press conference, he made it clear that bowing out was the easiest decision but insisted that would not solve the myriad problems facing the Black Stars.
For the coach to be fired two days after that declaration raises a lot of concerns as he seem to be aware of existing problems the FA may even not know.
Unfortunately, coaches over the years have always been sacrificial lambs in situations of this nature but when he talks about particular problems affecting the team, his sack leaves much to be desired.
That aside, it is important to also take another look at the country’s pool of players, both local and foreign based.
Some of us have been advocates for forming the Black Stars around the ever-present local players who may lack the skill, finesse and flamboyance believed to give the foreign based players the edge over their local counterparts.
The locals, however, compensate that with their commitment and dedication.
Sadly, it appears this consistent call have fallen on deaf ears and no one wants to give any attention to that.
If the fear is that results would be poor, then that would be no excuse again following outcomes of the Stars in their last two games.
From what was witnessed in Bouake and Accra, one can confidently boast that there isn’t much difference between the foreign based players and the locals.
If there is any, it would probably be the treatment given to the two sets of players.
The call on the FA now is to give major consideration to the local players. Any coach that sees no good in the local players must have no business handling the national team.
That does not also shut the door on the ‘foreigners’. We witnessed how the early 90s teams were beautifully blended to have a formidable team.
It is time the FA goes back to the basics. With the locals, there can be more camps, leading to improved cohesion. Any foreign based player invited must settle into the team quickly and make a difference. That is the only way to rescue the Black Stars from its free fall.
By Andrew Nortey
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