Ernest Adu is a 12 year old class six pupils of the Asaman-Boadu Kwa DC school at Ekumfi Adansi located at a turn from the Essuehyia junction on the Accra-Takoradi Road in the Western Region of Ghana.
The diminutive number 10 shirted “number 8” player was outstanding for his Under 12 side from the Ekumfi Adansi team that participitated in the just ended first anniversary National Soccer Festival organized by Compassion International Ghana at the El-Wak Stadium in Accra last Friday.
Little Adu, born to farming parents in the village of about 2000 inhabitants emerged the best player when his team competed against God Bless CDC Bremang Asabiem even though his side lost 3-5 on penalties.
A Health Worker at the Ekumfi Adansi camp of Compassion International Ghana, Joseph Buadzi tells me, “Ernest is a great talent”. Adding that, “He travels to near-by towns within the area to play football because there is no team here and no field to play football”.
Ernest tells me, “I want to use football as my career”. The boy who is the second among three other siblings, however seem ignorant about the local game. “I want to be like Neymar” he tells me.
“I watched him at the World Cup and it hurt me when he got injured. He plays for Barca”, he says. “And I love him” he adds.
So I wondered how he knew so much about “foreign football”
I duly imagined he would have information on the Ghana football, “I know Asamoah Gyan” he says. Adding, I also want to be like Michael Essien” the poor boy wished.
“Have you heard about Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC and Accra hearts of Oak” I asked, and the little boy responds in the affirmative. “Ok, tell me which players in Kotoko or Hearts you know”, a quizzed further.
Litter, Ernest looks me in the face, scratches his head and responds, “I don’t know any player from any of those teams”.
Staring at the boy, I asked, “Do you know anything about GFA”? He responds, please no. I asked again, do you know the Ghana Football Association? His answer is an emphatic no.
What comes to mind immediately is the future of this player and many of his kind who are massively talented but have no opportunity to develop their God-given sporting talents.
“Have you heard about the name Kwesi Nyantakyi? I asked again, “Pleas I don’t know him” he answers.
Then it downed on my how we as a football national are doing little or nothing to unearth talents that are hidden.
With the collapse of colts leagues across the country and all other youth football competitions sacrificed on the backs of over concentration by leaders of our football on the Black Stars, what happens to the fate and talent of little Ernest Adu and his likes scattered across the country is there for all to see- waste of talent.-waste.
One wonders then, whether the Ghana Football Association has any plans at all for the future of the country’s football. The future of the game is bleaker, especially with the poor nature of the Premier league compared to other leagues across the continent.
Today, a premier league player in Ghana cannot earn Gh1000 a month. Cannot have decent accommodation, cannot boast of a decent car, and cannot comfortably afford three square meals. Does not earn a minimum of Gh100, 000 as contract sign-on fee for a minimum of three years. Not even players of clubs like Kumasi Asante Kotoko SC; Accra Hearts of Oak and Ashantigold enjoy these incentives.
So I ask, what is the future of football is in this country. And this brings me to the widow’s mite contribution of Compassion International Ghana, an NGO to the game.
Compassion International Ghana climaxed its week-long football tournament at the El-Wak stadium in Accra. It marked the beginning of the annual National Soccer Festival of the NGO. I had been invited by the Country Director of the NGO, Mr. Padmore Baafour Agyapong to grace the memorable event.
I had driven with my wife and daughter to Accra for the occasion.
Compassion International Ghana is a Christian non-governmental Organization whose mission is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.
And so, I found it expedient to be a part of such a laudable project to help indentify talents in sports amongst little boys and girls aged between 12 and 15 years.
In an address, Mr. Baafour Agyapong indicated that “Since July 2005, Compassion International Ghana has partnered with 216 churches in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, Volta and the Ashanti Regions to help provide the spiritual, emotional, physical, economic and SPORTING needs of over 56,000 children in Ghana” The Country Director added that, “Come July 2015, Compassion International Ghana, CIGH will be ten years to God’s glory and to commemorate this milestone, we have planned a year-long activities under the theme, CIGH @ 10: The Child remains the Heartbeat”.
“Among the activities to commemorate this memorable and outstanding achievement in CIGH history is the organization of the National Soccer Festival to promote physical health and social development of children while encouraging the spirit of friendship, teamwork and discipline that is being thought in the classroom”.
Listening to the address it dawned on me how much the initiative of Compassion International Ghana will impact our game in future thereby giving it hope in the face of the absolute neglect by leadership of our game.
The National Sports Bill is still gathering dust whiles there is nothing to write home about, about the five year Development plan of the Ghana Football Association.
So if Corporate institutions, individuals, Non-governmental Organizations like Compassion International took the initiate of contributing to the course of unearthing talents for the nation, it’s in the right direction that they are appreciated and encouraged, after all they are not under any obligation to pick it from where the right institutions responsible for the game such as the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ghana Football Association have failed.
I wish to call on managers of our game to link up with Compassion international to help nature the massive talents identified at the Soccer Festival so as to ensure that the tens of thousands of American dollars invested in the tournament does not go waste.
At least, the extra-ordinary talents of Ernst Adu and his kinds deserve to be monitored to mature to the collective advantage of Ghana football.
Whiles calling on others to emulate the shining example of Compassion International, I wish to congratulate the NGO for its massive initiative of helping develop the game of football.
But like, Oliver Twist, I wish to reiterate that, this laudable project does not become a flash in the pan. We ask for more!
Once, again, congratulations to you, Compassion International Ghana.
Writer is Freelance Political and Sports Journalist.
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the Ghana Journalists Association.
President of Awaambe Sports Academy based in Sandema.
Email: Lbukarson76@yahoo.com
0244 831631.
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