Akufo-Addo swerves GFA again

The Ghana Football Association has suffered another setback in its quest to resume football after it was ignored by the President in his latest speech.

A GFA document available to this site provides the roadmap to the commencement of the 2020/2021 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Today, August 17, 2020, was earmarked for an education campaign on coronavirus.

Three days later, Ghana Premier League clubs would have been permitted to start ‘group pre-season conditioning”.

The FA was hopeful that their plans were going to be considered and approved by the government.

But in his latest address on Sunday, August 16, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo failed to mention anything sports, talk less of granting the Ghana Football Association their wish.

The President’s silence means, the ban on contact sports which includes football remains in force and the FA will have to wait until the next address to know their fate.

The President granted exemptions to some tertiary institutions to return to school.

He also announced plans to open Ghana’s borders.

“Through online learning portals, almost all continuing students in our Universities have completed their studies for the academic year. The exceptions are the University of Cape Coast, the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Technical Universities, and some other Colleges”.

After extensive stakeholder consultations, the decision has been taken for continuing students in these tertiary institutions to return to school, on 24th August, to finish their academic year.

“I want to ensure that we are in a position to test every single passenger that arrives in the country to avoid the spread of the virus. The outcome of that exercise will show us the way, and determine when we can reopen our border by air. I am hoping that, by God’s grace, we will be ready to do so by 1st September”.

“Until further notice, our borders, by air, land, and sea, remain closed to human traffic. For Ghana residents stranded abroad, a special dispensation will continue to be given for their evacuation back to Ghana, where they will be subjected to the mandatory quarantine and safety protocols. Beaches, pubs, cinemas, and nightclubs are still to remain closed until further notice”, he said.