Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, Acting Director‑General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), warned that Ghana’s recurring sports problems stem from a lack of long‑term planning and athlete development. He said that simply bringing in top‑tier coaches will not solve the nation’s challenges, urging a shift toward sustained development strategies.
Speaking to Citi Sports, Sarpong highlighted the decline of both male and female national teams on the international stage. The Black Maidens, competing in the FIFA U‑17 Women’s World Cup, sit at the bottom of their group with one point from two matches, trailing Canada, Norway and Brazil. The Black Starlets missed qualification for the U‑17 Africa Cup of Nations, the gateway to the 2027 FIFA U‑17 World Cup. At senior level, the Black Stars suffered back‑to‑back defeats, losing 2‑0 to Côte d’Ivoire in Bouaké and 4‑2 to The Gambia.
“Our problem with Ghana sports, not football alone, has been long‑term planning, long‑term development of athletes,” Sarpong said. He added that there are no qualified Ghanaian fitness trainers or strength and conditioning coaches for football, calling for investment in developing local coaches who can become multipliers of knowledge.
He advocated a stronger partnership between the NSA, the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and sports federations to build a structured talent‑identification system. The Grassroots Sports Secretariat, he said, is a vital first step toward creating a sustainable pipeline. He proposed identifying promising athletes at age 12 and nurturing them through a six‑year programme to prepare them for world‑class competition by age 18.
The call for structural reforms comes amid growing public pressure for a complete overhaul of Ghana’s football development framework. The NSA’s push for long‑term planning and local coach development could reshape how athletes are nurtured across the country.
