Government must be held accountable for Black Stars’ poor state — Enam Hadzide

A former Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide, has called for accountability from government over the current state of the Black Stars.

His comments come as Ghana prepares for its fifth FIFA World Cup appearance at the 2026 tournament being hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Concerns have been growing over the performance and management structure of the senior national team in recent years, with debates over funding, technical direction and administrative coordination.

Speaking on the GTV Breakfast Show on Wednesday, June 10, Enam Hadzide said the responsibility for the team’s struggles cannot be divorced from government oversight and support structures.

“It's difficult and painful to say, but we are not in a good place. We are not in a good place, and I think that the ministry and the government must be held responsible for where we stand as a country,” he said.

He explained that even though the Ghana Football Association (GFA) operates as an independent body, the state still plays a critical role in supporting the Black Stars due to its national significance.

According to him, issues such as funding support, coordination and national representation make government involvement unavoidable when assessing the team’s performance.

“You see football is governed and superintended generally by the GFA. The GFA is not an agency of state… but when it comes to the Black Stars, the question of national pride, the question of national ownership comes up,” he stated.

The former National Youth Authority CEO further observed that the emotional impact of poor performance by the national team is felt by all Ghanaians, regardless of political or institutional responsibility.