Political actors in the game

So, this week, and in fact a little earlier than that, there’s been an unending commentary on what some have termed ‘the unhealthy presence’ of politicians in our football. I call them political actors in this article. Their growing presence in our football has been described in various ways, with loads of adjectives being brandished here and there.

The picture has been painted, as if to say, nothing as dangerous this has ever happened to Ghana football since Independence Day, March 6, 1957. I beg to differ. There’s an exaggeration. The furor, for me, are all much ado about nothing. With our unfettered freedom of speech, we say too many things without truly looking at the reality of our situation.

We are often too quick to condemn. I say this not because I’m naïve. I’m not ignorant of what seemingly underlines the concerns of those whose voices have been loud against the presence of the political actors. I’m aware of how some Ghanaian and African politicians are careless, insensitive, corrupt and incompetent – the result of which leave them mismanaging state resources and not meeting the expectation of the masses.

For most of our breed of political actors, it’s about their selfish interest, not what would serve the interest of the populace. That’s the reason concerns would be raised they populate our football space even for a right cause. The latest concerns follow the appointment of the Black Stars management committee, chaired by GNPC Boss and former Asante Kotoko Executive Chairman, Dr. K. K. Sarpong.

Other members of the committee are ex-footballer, Ibrahim Sunday; Deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye; Deputy Youth and Sports Minister, Perry Okudzeto and Deputy Finance Minister, Madam Abena Osei Asare who is also an MP. While the political colours of Sunday Ibrahim isn’t known to me, that of the other personalities is public knowledge.

They are all NPP. They are part of the ruling government. That forms the premise of some of the concerns. They are politicians or political actors. But are these concerns justified in our situation? I don’t think so. Take it or leave it, politicians would always have a stake in our football. They had it during NDC’s reign. I don’t believe it would ever change.

Regardless of how NDC and NPP have collectively mismanaged Ghana in recent years; irrespective of the harm they would still wreak on this nation years to come, either consciously or inadvertently, with their ‘volatile’, usually impolitic, partisan politics; we can’t disassociate or disengage them from our football. We can’t keep them away. We should accept that. We deceive ourselves if we think we can do that. From the days of the first Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to present times, politicians or political actors have been part of our football. 

You must be new to the terrain if you think this isn’t true. They have and would continue to have a stake in our football so long as the financing of the national teams; like the salary of Black Stars coach, for example, is paid by the Ministry of Youth and Sports or the government. 

In conclusion, I’m of the opinion that, where politicians first have the competence to deliver a certain task, (like in the case of the recently appointed Black Stars management committee), our energy should be channeled to keeping them on their toes; put a check on them, and demand that the right things are done. 

That’s better than anything else.