Members of Parliament have rallied behind the Black Stars ahead of their World Cup opening match against Panama, expressing confidence in the team despite a depleted squad and a high-profile visa dispute with tournament co-hosts Canada.
Contributing to a parliamentary debate, Member of Parliament for Builsa North, Hon. James Agalga, underscored Ghana’s strong historical standing on the global stage, noting that the country “has the pedigree” at the World Cup as one of Africa’s top performers.
“Ghana almost made it to the semi-finals. Unfortunately our quest to make it beyond that level was disrupted by Suarez,” Agalga said, recalling the 2010 tournament.
The Black Stars enter the campaign with a depleted roster, missing injured first-team players Mohammed Kudus, Alexander Djiku, and Mohammed Salisu. Compounding these selection issues is the absence of midfielder Thomas Partey, which Agalga described as “regrettable.”
Mr Agalga strongly defended the Ghana Football Association against criticism regarding Partey’s absence, shifting blame to a Canadian court decision.
“We should all have issues with countries like Canada which have agreed to host a tournament such as the World Cup but are not prepared to relax their domestic laws in favor of countries which have qualified,” Agalga told the House.
He criticised visa denials based on “reasonable grounds, reasonable suspicions, assumptions when the guilt of the accused has not been proven,” adding, “Thomas Partey is not a convict. If Thomas Partey had been convicted he wouldn’t have been able to travel to the United States in the first place.”
He called for the visa issue to be escalated “at the very highest level, even at the level of FIFA,” expressing disappointment that the global governing body had not “forcefully intervene.” Despite these challenges, he maintained optimism, stating, “I have that conviction that the Black Stars will rise to the occasion and make us proud.”
Echoing this solidarity, Tamale South MP and Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, called on Ghanaians—particularly the youth—to support the team to foster national hope and unity.
“The Black Stars represent more than football. They represent the spirit of Ghana,” Iddrisu stated.
The Minister highlighted the state’s top-level backing, noting the presence of Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang in Toronto to represent President John Mahama and assure the team of the nation’s support. “Government is fully behind the Black Stars. Parliament stands with them,” Iddrisu said.
Drawing on his education portfolio, Iddrisu stressed using school sports to nurture future talent, calling for stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education to revive inter-schools and colleges competitions.
“Many of our legends started from school football. We must rebuild that pipeline,” he added.
Haruna Iddrisu expressed confidence that the Black Stars can advance from a group featuring Panama, Croatia, and England if they “play as a unit and avoid complacency.”
He advised the players to approach the opening game with “discipline, commitment, and focus,” reminding them, “You carry the hopes of millions. Go out there and make Ghana proud.”
Turning to broader sports governance, the Tamale South MP advocated for structural reforms in football administration to address transparency and officiating. He backed calls for a ballot system to select referees, stating “no individual should determine who officiates which match.”
Thanking Parliament for its bipartisan show of support, Iddrisu urged citizens to “fill the streets with flags and prayers” ahead of the midnight Ghana time kickoff.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
