Kwabena Agyepong tackles GFA

General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwabena Agyei Agyapong says the Ghana Football Association must put measures in place to revive interest in the local game and stop concentrating solely on the Black Stars.

Football administrators and pundits have attributed the low attendances and the lack of interest in the local game to the showing of foreign league matches on free-to-air television stations in the country.

Last week, the Communications Director of the GFA, Ibrahim Saanie Daara, suggested that the Parliament of Ghana should pass a law to prevent free-to-air television stations from beaming foreign league matches live.

In an interview with Kumasi-based Kessben FM, Mr Agyapong however indicated that the GFA must focus more on making the local game appealing to revive interest, since it is losing the attention it used to have.

"Charity begins at home. The GFA must concentrate on building the local league and making it attractive. It is as if their minds are on the Black Stars alone.

What baffles me is they all travel to watch even friendly matches of the Stars. What is that supposed to mean? It is ridiculous because I have served on such committees before. I was part of the men behind Ghana’s Barcelona 1992 campaign.’’

He also said journalists in the country should help to improve the league by limiting their interest in the foreign leagues, noting that club officials should put strategic measures in place to advertise their matches in other to catch the eyes of their supporters.

"I can hardly mention the name of a player in our local league because the interest in the foreign league by the press is overwhelming. I know things have changed but we can do something. What is worrying is some do not know the coach of King Faisal but can mention the name of the coach of Inter Milan in Italy.

The club officials should also know how to market the matches in other to bring supporters to the park."