Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has cautioned newly appointed Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams, to ensure that Black Stars selections are based on merit and not personal interests.
His remarks came during Kofi Adams’ visit to Manhyia Palace on Friday, February 14, where the Asantehene expressed concern over the declining fortunes of the senior national team.
According to Otumfuo, the Black Stars’ struggles in recent years stem from favoritism and undue influence in player selections by officials within the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
*”The Black Stars have been disgraceful these days. You have to get the team back on the winning track,”* Otumfuo told Kofi Adams. *”Make sure the technical team invites players who truly deserve to be in the national team. No one should be allowed to impose players on the squad for their own gain.”*
Ghana’s senior national team has suffered back-to-back group-stage exits at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2021 and 2023, and their woes deepened when they failed to qualify for the 2025 edition, marking their first absence in two decades.
Despite their AFCON disappointment, the Black Stars will return to action in March for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Madagascar, as they seek to rebuild and regain their competitive edge.
