Some words are usually connected to negative connotations though they cut both ways and one of such words is drastic which brings up negative thoughts at first glance and the wind of change has come and come in a drastic way on Ghana’s political landscape.
For the ruling government, the 2024 Elections loss was drastic but for the main opposition party, the win was equally drastic and now the time to RESET is here.
The economy, obviously is the biggest target to determine whether a government is successful or not but for a sports loving and specifically a football loving nation as Ghana is, the sports space is another major indicator of government’s acceptance or otherwise.
With this in mind, it is only fitting that President-Elect John Dramani Mahama was Ghana’s President when the Black Stars delivered one of the most embarrassing and shocking events at any international sports event but now has the opportunity to correct his wrongs.
Threatening a boycott at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Black Stars players forced the then John Mahama government to directly fly cash reportedly worth $3 million from Ghana to Brazil to take care of outstanding bonuses.
The incident, the image of officials and players kissing bundles of dollars, the loss amid a poor performance against Portugal and eventual exit at the group stage was the beginning of the fallout between the Black Stars and Ghanaian public.
The Brazil episode served as a tent pole in Mahama’s heavy loss in the 2016 Elections and on his return to the Jubilee House (don’t know how long the name would last though), the sports ministry is one of the most looked at areas targeted for a reset.
Beyond the political need to fix what was broken the first time, there are legitimate sports related reasons for this reset.
For starters, Ghana has competed in three international tournaments under Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku and just amassed six points in total. On top of this shocking turn of events, the Black Stars have failed to qualify to the AFCON for the first time in 20 years after the Black Stars failed to get a home win against either Niger, Sudan or Angola.
With Mustapha Ussif definitely leaving his post as Sports Minister, there are very viable options to take up the mantle. Ghana, like, most African nations has a youthful population and this section of the population played a key role in the sweeping figures behind the NDC’s dominant performance in the 2024 Polls.
As such, young options like Edem Agbana and Abdul-Salam Adams are great candidates for the Deputy Sports Minister role. Agbana was the spokesperson for sports for the NDC’s manifesto and owns Division Two club Nukunu FC while Adams is the brother of New Edubiase Football Club’s CEO, Abdul Salam Yakubu, and his close ties to a major stakeholder in Ghana football aids his candidacy.
However, considering the poor performance of the sports ministry under fairly young candidates, picking between Agbana and Adams looks like a hasty decision. It is clear President-Elect John Mahama’s second term as Ghana President has the markings of a transition into the next phase of NDC leadership especially in these murky times and picking experienced hands is the safest bet to ensure the move from chaos to calm.
When that calm after the storm comes (and if the NDC finds success in 2028) the Agbana and Adams factor could then be in play for such positions with both representing long term options to head the Ministry.
Until then, a veteran like Dr. Tony Aubynn seems the best option after serving as a GFA Executive Council member and still serving as Board Chairman of former Ghana Premier League champions Medeama Sporting Club.
With his extensive connections in the banking and oil and gas industry, Dr. Aubynn could leverage his influence as the former CEO of the Ghana Minerals Commission to court sponsorship for underfunded sports disciplines just as he has done to get Goldfields Ghana to fund the construction of the top level TNA Stadium for Medeama.
Honourable Mention for Deputy Sports Minister; Mahama Ayariga who served as Sports Minister in the immediate aftermath of the Brazil debacle.
There are experienced heads who have been loyal to the incoming government and well experienced like former Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah and former Deputy Sports Minister Joseph Yamin but both men were compromised in the Brazil disaster and are not worthy candidates in a reset government.
A reset government can’t happen or function with faces or personalities that represent the poor governance and seemingly reckless expenditure of funds associated with their time in office in Mahama’s government the first time.
Wisdom Woyome is an interesting prospect but a former Sports Minister in the Mahama regime recently said that one of the main reasons for Ghana’s downturn in its sports fortunes is down to the appointment of people who have very little or no idea of sports administration and sports background.
Outgoing Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif is an example as the Member of Parliament for Yagaba-Kubori is business and financial investment savvy but not sports and it showed in his administration.
That former Sports Minister is Nii Lante Vanderpuye who in an interview with Citi Sports condemned the role of the Ministry in getting Ghana temporarily without a CAF sanctioned stadium to host an international qualifier after the Baba Yara Stadium was banned. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
As Sports Minister, Vanderpuye, infamously clashed with the GFA under former President Kwesi Nyantakyi and fought to keep the Association in check. For a government that has promised to deliver ORAL (Operation Recover All The Loot), Nii Lante Vanderpuye is the best man for the job as Sports Minister to “reel” in a GFA that has demonstrated poor leadership and a lack of accountability for its expensive wage bill in connection to the Black Stars.
Life under Kurt Okraku has been so bad that former GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi recently spoke out on how poor things have been stating, “we can see all is not well.” (Click highlighted text to read full story)
In the lead up to the 2024 Ghana Elections, Sports Minister Ussif was practically absent in his role as he hit the campaign road preaching why he deserved a second term in office as a Member of Parliament for Yagaba-Kubori.
Having served three terms as MP for Odododiodio Constituency, Nii Lante Vanderpuye decided against running for another term due to being subjected to a ton of pressure and the associated frustration that come with life as a Ghana MP.
As a major player in the NDC structure not burdened by the grind of Parliament work, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, should he be picked as Sports Minister, can focus solely on the job to get the Ministry back on track.
After taking on the GFA to the applause of many the first time, a second coming, at a time sports and football in Ghana is virtually on its knees, smacks of a calling for Nii Lante Vanderpuye as the next Sports Minister for President Elect John Mahama who is also a man on a mission to get his legacy right.
Designating the right personnel to the right positions is a hallmark of a leader and none should come better than incoming President John Mahama appointing Dr. Tony Aubynn as Deputy Sports Minister and Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye as Sports Minister.
