President John Dramani Mahama has urged the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, to make it his priority to restore the Black Stars to their former glory.
Ghana’s senior national football team has been on a downward spiral in recent years, failing to advance past the group stage in the last three major tournaments—AFCON 2021 in Cameroon, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and AFCON 2023 in Ivory Coast.
The situation worsened when the Black Stars failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in two decades, finishing at the bottom of Group F with just three points from six matches.
During a ministerial swearing-in ceremony at the Jubilee House on Friday, February 7, 2025, President Mahama emphasized the need for urgent collaboration with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to revamp the team’s fortunes.
“The Honourable Kofi Iddie Adams, Minister for Sports and Recreation, I don’t envy your job,” Mahama told Adams. “You have the monumental task of restoring Ghana’s pride in African and world sports. The current state of Ghana’s sports is completely unacceptable for a country with our rich history.”
He further highlighted the importance of modernizing sports administration, stressing that football should remain a key focus while also improving other sporting disciplines.
“I expect you to inject professionalism and modernity into the management of the sector,” he continued. “The GFA is a good place to start, and I believe with the right efforts, we can bring the Black Stars back to their glory days.”