Let us remind the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) of its mandate. They have a direct supervisory role over all national teams including the Black Stars as they hold the various national teams in the trust of Ghanaians.
The team cannot therefore travel for friendly matches in the United States or anywhere and its security detail beats up a journalist without any provocation and for days, neither the MOYS nor the Ghana Football Association (GFA) finds it appropriate to condemn the dastard incident while rendering an unqualified apology to the victim, a Ghanaian, and the media as a whole.
Is this how the MOYS pledged to superintend over what the government and the good people of Ghana have entrusted to their care? How does the MOYS remain silent over the situation where an innocent Ghanaian is physically attacked by an official of our senior national team for no reason?
And the MOYS that has oversight responsibility over the team has been dead quiet for days now? Is that how the government, led by H. E. President, Akufo Addo, who has tasked the MOYS to oversee Ghana sports, swore to protect Ghanaians?
If the GFA lacks the basic courtesy to condemn such an insane attack and apologise, is the MOYS also in the same boat as the GFA? A public condemnation and an apology are not too much to ask for.
The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) with the venerable Kwabena Yeboah as its President has, as common-sense demands, condemned the incident. The silence of the GFA is dangerous.
Even worse is that of the MOYS in whose hands the government has placed the national teams. Let the government take note that there has been far too much disrespect and insensitivity to the plight of Ghanaians in several ways. The beating up of journalists cannot be added to the pain being inflicted on Ghanaians.
I bring this to the attention of the Ministry of Information and the and the Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah that both the GFA and MOYS’ silence on the attack on Ghanaian journalist based in the United States, Seidu Adamu is unacceptable.
When Ghana ranks low on the press freedom index, it is the Information Minister that goes to respond and defend the government and the country. This free press abuse must be his concern.
Condemnation by the GFA and the MOYS will not cure the unfortunate incident, but it will show that leadership in our football and sports have the moral courage to condemn wrongdoing. What more can I say? We are closely watching.