Mustapha Ussif, the Minister of Youth and Sports is rallying support for the senior national team the Black Stars ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Mustapha Ussif reckons only a united front can help the country end its four-decade wait for an AFCON trophy.
Delivering an address on the floor of parliament on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, the Sports Minister observed that partisan politics is creeping into the Black Stars and urged Ghanaians to throw their weight behind the team irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Speaker, the wind of politics blowing through many aspects of our lives has in recent times, permeated into our football, leaving the country divided even when the national teams are at the ‘war front’.
“And as we know, no nation can win a battle/war without unity and tenacity of purpose. It is precisely the reason why I stand here today to call for unity and support for the national team.
“I entreat all of us, and all Ghanaians, regardless of party and religious affiliations, to rally behind our national team as they embark on another AFCON journey next month in Cameroon,” he said.
In April this year, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched a fundraising campaign for the Black Stars.
The campaign was aimed at raising $25million to fund Ghana’s participation in both the African Cup and the World Cup scheduled for Qatar in 2022.
The Minister has provided update on the initiative, revealing that $2million has been accrued from the exercise.
He appealed to corporate institutions and benevolent Ghanaians to support the course of the Black Stars as the team prepare to stage another fight for a first trophy in forty years.
“It can be recalled that His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo invited corporate Ghana to a breakfast meeting in order to raise about $25m US Dollars to support government's funding of our various national teams, especially the Black Stars.
“So far, corporate Ghana has supported us to raise about $2m US Dollars, and I want to, on behalf of the President, thank all those who have fulfilled their pledges.”
The Black Stars are heading into the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon with the target being the ultimate.
To achieve that, the team must first negotiate Group C opponents Comoros, Gabon and Morocco.
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Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif