Sports Minister, GFA faces Parliament over 2023 AFCON failure

Accra, Ghana - Ghana's Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, is set to face a parliamentary probe regarding the country's disappointing performance at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2023).

The probe, scheduled to commence on September 24, 2024, aims to uncover the underlying issues that led to Ghana's poor showing in the tournament, where they failed to win a single game and finished third in their group.

Ussif will be grilled about the Ministry's involvement in the Black Stars' preparations, as well as budget and expenditure-related issues. Specifically, he'll need to explain how Ghana spent over $3 million in just 11 days during the tournament.

The committee, chaired by Kobina Woyome, will also hear testimony from various stakeholders, including the Ghana Football Association, the Black Stars management committee, and past and current players.

The probe's objective, as stated by Woyome, is to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contributed to Ghana's underwhelming performance.

This includes examining individual decisions and conduct that may have impacted the team's outcome.

Members of the Save Ghana Football Forum, a pressure group that demonstrated after Ghana's poor AFCON 2023 campaign, will also appear before the committee.

Other key stakeholders scheduled to testify include:

- Ghana Football Association
- Black Stars management committee
- Ghana League Clubs Association
- National Sports Authority
- Past and current members of the Black Stars
- Save Ghana Football Forum

The parliamentary probe is a significant step towards addressing the issues plaguing Ghana's football and ensuring better performance in future tournaments.

Source : Lead News Online