Ghana’s football ambitions need more than hope, according to Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams. Speaking at the GFA’s 32nd Ordinary Congress, Kofi Adams challenged football leaders to build a Ghana Premier League with stars, strong systems and a clear identity.
The Minister’s message came just weeks before the new Ghana Premier League season begins. He believes the league must become more than a competition played every weekend.
Hon. Adams asked a simple but difficult question: “Who exactly are we asking Ghanaians to come and watch?” He also asked who the league’s star is, whose shirt young fans want to buy and which player can become the face of Ghanaian football.
His concern goes beyond marketing. He believes the league must create its own heroes and give supporters reasons to care about the players and clubs.
“There was a time when Charles Taylor was an attraction. Dong Bortey was an attraction. Ishmael Addo, Stephen Oduro,” Adams said. “Supporters knew the characters of the league. They were heroes, the rivalries were deep.”
For Hon. Adams, the problem is made worse by the number of media platforms now available. Clubs have more ways to promote players and tell their stories, yet the league still struggles to create household names.
He also warned Ghana against relying too heavily on players based abroad. “We should celebrate every Ghanaian excelling abroad but we must never allow foreign-based talent to become an excuse for a weak domestic ecosystem,” he said.
Hon. Adams wants the local game to produce more than footballers. He said a strong league should produce “players, coaches, referees, administrators, football intelligence, commercial value and excitement.”
His comments come after the Ghana Premier League was ranked 100th in the world and 14th in Africa by the IFFHS. The league fell from 92nd in the previous ranking, adding pressure for real reform.
Hon. Adams pointed to Morocco and South Africa as examples of countries using stronger football systems. “Talent identification is deliberate. Coaching is deliberate. Sports science is deliberate. Competition exposure is deliberate. Player data is deliberate. Transition is deliberate,” he said.
“We cannot compete with deliberate systems through hope.”
That may be the biggest challenge facing Ghanaian football. The talent is still there, but talent alone cannot build a powerful league.
The new season begins on September 5, with newcomers Port City facing FC AshantiGold 04. For Ghanaian football, the next chapter must now be about more than starting another season. It must be about building a league that supporters cannot wait to watch.
