By Patrick Akoto
Ghana Football Association president Kwesi Nyantakyi is demanding the African Youth trophy from the national Under-20 team at this year's tournament in South Africa.
The Black Satellites will leave Accra for a two-week training tour of Naivasha, Kenya on Tuesday before their title defence from 17 April to 2 May.
The squad will be joined by 11 foreign-based players at their camping base before a final 21-man squad is named for the competition.
Ghana won the title two years ago in Rwanda for the third time in the history of the tournament.
"We are the defending champions for Africa and the World so you have a huge responsibility to discharge in this competition. Everybody will be looking up to you and a second place will not be even accepted. You have to repeat the feat that the team last chalked in Rwanda," Nyantakyi told the players after Monday's training session.
Ghana are in pool B alongside Nigeria, Cameroon and Gambia.
Four semi-finalists at the tournament will qualify for this year's Fifa World Youth Championship to be held in Colombia this summer.
Ghana's preliminary squad:
Adade Foli (Ebusua Dwarfs), Akwasi Acheampong (Liberty Professionals), Ibrahim Alhassan (Madina United), Richmond Nketiah (FC Nania)
Rashid Sumaila (Ebusua Dwarfs), Adnan Saeed (Wa All Stars), Karim Alhassan (Hearts of Oak), Paul Aidoo (Berekum Chelsea),
Seidu Shaibu (Wa All Stars), Muniru Abdellah (Unattached), Jacob Kwao (Mighty Jets), Samuel Kyere (Berekum Chelsea),
Ebenezer Otu (Berekum Chelsea), Albert Bruce (Asante Kotoko), Mahatma Otoo (Hearts of Oak), Jordan Ayew (Olympique Marseille), Kelvin Osei (Olympique Marseille).
Kwame Nsor (Metz), Bright Addae (Terrassa FC), James Bissue (Hapoel Be’er Sheva), Richmond Boakye-Yiadom (Genoa)
Enoch Ebo Andoh (Benfica), Afriyie Acquah (Palermo), Masawudu Alhassan (Genoa), Gershon Koffie (Vancouver Whitecaps), Daniel Kofi Adjei (Fiorentina).