Stephen Appiah, former captain of the Black Stars, has urged the government to increase its investment in Ghanaian football. Speaking to a parliamentary fact-finding committee investigating the sport’s decline, Appiah stressed that the sector is heavily government-controlled and underfunded.
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He expressed concern that football fans have lost hope, partly due to the government’s focus on the senior national team, the Black Stars, while neglecting the junior and women’s teams. Appiah highlighted that Ghana has struggled to achieve major success since winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 and the U-20 tournament in 2021.
Appiah also criticized the practice of excluding key players who contribute during qualifiers but are left out of final tournaments, which he believes weakens team cohesion.
He called on the government to develop more FIFA-standard stadiums and increase financial support to improve the state of football in the country. The committee’s investigation, chaired by Hon. Kobena Mensah Woyome, is ongoing, with public hearings set to continue later this month.
