National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Saboba in the Northern Region, Joseph Nikpe Bukari, on Thursday in Parliament made a weird suggestion that the picture of President Mahama should be embossed on the national jersey which the Black Stars would be using during the World Cup in Brazil, to showcase the president of the country.
If the nation could produce drinking cups and laptops with the president’s picture on them for distribution to school children, then there is nothing absolutely wrong with marketing the president of the country during such a big global event, he said.
The Saboba MP was reacting to concerns raised by some New Patriotic Party (NPP) Members of Parliament that some supporters for the national team in Cairo wore T-shirts with President Mahama’s picture embossed on them during the World Cup qualifier against Egypt.
The NPP MP for Atwima Mponua and ranking member for Youth, Sports and Culture, Isaac Asiamah said, “Mr Speaker, in fact, the match was being played by Ghana’s national team and therefore we expected that all supporters would wear the national colours as most of them did to show our identity as Ghanaians and not T-shirts of the president,” he said, adding that the action of some of the supporters, whom he claimed were NDC supporters, was unfortunate and unfair.
He said the national teams of the country should not be politicised because they belong to all Ghanaians.
“Mr Speaker, we are all proud of what the Black Stars have achieved qualifying for the third successive time to play in the World Cup and I believe we as parliamentarians would be fasting and praying for them during the World Cup so that they can win the ultimate for the country,” he said
The ranking member commended the players, the technical team and officials of the Football Association for working assiduously to ensure qualification to the World Cup in Brazil.
“I think under the leadership of Kwesi Nyantakyi, the national team has chalked so many successes and therefore he must be encouraged.”
The NPP MP for Tano North, Freda Prempeh and a member of the committee, who unveiled one of Mahama’s T-shirt in parliament said, “Mr speaker, I was at the airport and what I realised was that if you are a Ghanaian supporter and you were not wearing the Mahama ‘T’ shirt you would not be allowed to board the plane provided by the state to ferry Ghanaians to Cairo to support the Black Stars,” the Tano North MP said.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the NDC MP for Juaboso, also defended the action of some of the supporters, saying if the president’s picture could be displayed in all the state offices, then it was not wrong for some Ghanaians to wear T-shirts with his pictures.
“The president is the head of state and the embodiment of the nation so there is nothing wrong for his T-shirts to be displayed at such an event.”
The Minority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said FIFA, as the world football body, frowns upon mixing football with politics, and countries whose governments have unduly interfered in their football had been sanctioned accordingly.
He therefore warned the government about incorporating politics into football in the country because it would have dire consequences for the country.
