Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has criticized the Ghana Football Association (GFA) for its decision to search for a new head coach for the Black Stars. Ablakwa believes that this decision is premature and should be put on hold until a thorough investigation is conducted into the budget of the Black Stars at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Ablakwa took to Facebook to express his concerns, stating, “It is clear to me that the only way out of this grand mess is to immediately curtail any further expenditure on the Black Stars including that ill-advised, rushed and misguided search for a new coach, and to urgently commission an independent forensic audit.”
He also emphasized the need for Parliament to assert its constitutional oversight authority and conduct a probe into the financial irregularities surrounding the Black Stars. Ablakwa stressed that “These outlandish breakdowns, illegalities and insulting opacity must be probed and sanctioned — we cannot afford to let the people down.”
Furthermore, Ablakwa called for unity within the football community, stating, “Football still has the potential to unite, inspire and transform our nation — let’s come together and exorcise the demons who are determined to use football to cause further destruction of the national economy for personal aggrandizement.”
The Ghana FA recently formed a five-member committee to select a new head coach for the Black Stars following the dismissal of coach Chris Hughton. The committee is currently reviewing applications from coaches around the world and is expected to announce the new head coach next month.
