Former President and National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has called for the reinstatement of inter-schools football and the Milo Championships in Ghana.
Addressing a town hall meeting with the youth at the Bukom Boxing Arena, Mahama emphasised the crucial role these tournaments have played in developing the country’s football talent.
Mahama highlighted that previous editions of the Milo Championships have been instrumental in discovering and nurturing football stars such as Stephen Appiah, the late Christian Atsu, Asamoah Gyan, and Sulley Muntari.
"Football is our national sport and everyone loves it. But we must organize it effectively to harness the talent," Mahama stated. "We need to bring back inter-schools football, the Milo Championships, the academicals, and invest in our coaches so that we can identify and develop emerging talent."
The former President also touched on the recent performance of Ghana's national team in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), where the Black Stars have struggled to advance beyond the group stages in the last two tournaments. He also proposed a structured approach that combines local and international players to rejuvenate Ghana's footballing success.
His call to action underscores the need for a renewed focus on grassroots football development as a means to restore Ghana’s standing in African and global football.