Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin and Mike Offei
A group of Ghanaians based in the United States of America (USA) have praised the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, for instituting a soccer fun game to help commemorate the 30th anniversary of Ghana’s fourth republican democracy.
In a statement released on social media, the group, led by an international diplomat, said Bagbin’s democracy cup is a masterstroke for peace and democratic consolidation.
“The democracy cup is a move that leverages the most popular sport in Ghana, soccer, to promote Fourth republican democracy and we stand in awe at the genius thinking behind it,” a statement that was signed by Mr. Mike Offei, a former senior staff of the World Bank and the IMF said.
According to the group, the move does not only serve to create a sense of ownership of the fourth republican democracy among Ghanaians, but fosters peaceful co-existence.
“Through it, the Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin is showing Ghanaians that the positive passion that we show for our soccer can be translated to our politics as well, and this is welcome.”
On July 17, 2024, the first ever Democracy Cup match was played between the two foremost top flight teams in Ghana – Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts OF Oak with Kotoko winning the match.
An initiative of the hardworking Speaker, the Democracy Cup was purposed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Ghana’s fourth Republican, democracy, however, plans have since evolved for it to be annualized.
Meanwhile, the winners of the maiden edition of the cup will be playing against US soccer team, DC United in the coming days.
According to Mr. Michael Yaw Offei and his group, the arrangement to have the winner of the maiden edition of the Democracy Cup play DC United speaks poignantly to the spirit of democracy.
“With the United States being one of the leading democracies in the world, the arrangement for the champions of Ghana’s democracy cup to play a team coming from the city which hosts the government of the most advanced democracy in the world is powerfully symbolic,” Mr. Mike Offei said.
He also applauded the idea of annualizing the democracy cup saying it will help douse tensions that have come to punctuate Ghana’s democracy and thus eroded nationalism. “We in the diaspora are totally supportive of this initiative and congratulate the brilliant Speaker for such a masterstroke,” Mr. Mike Offei wrote.
