John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has criticized the current government’s leadership for contributing to the poor performance of Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars.
He pointed to the team’s failure to qualify for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco as a direct result of the deteriorating state of the country under the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Speaking at a mini-rally at the Akim Oda lorry station on Tuesday, November 19, during his five-day tour of the Eastern Region, Mahama expressed his disappointment over the Black Stars’ current struggles and called on Ghanaians to vote for change in the upcoming elections to bring hope and progress back to the nation.
“We have lost so much as a country. Even our cherished Black Stars, which were once a symbol of national pride, are now in disarray,” Mahama stated.
“For two decades, the Black Stars were a constant presence at AFCON. But now, we’ve failed to even make it through the qualifiers. We’ve allowed nations like Sudan—a war-torn country—to qualify for the tournament while Ghana has been left behind. This is a direct result of the poor leadership we’ve endured over the past eight years.”
Mahama emphasized that democracy offers Ghanaians the opportunity to make a change every four years, and the upcoming election on December 7 provides the chance to restore progress to the country.
“Through democracy, we have the power to change our government every four years. Let us use this opportunity on December 7 to peacefully change the course of our nation for the better,” he concluded.
