In the wake of Ghana’s 2024 general elections, Kwasi Appiah, former Black Stars coach and current head coach of Sudan, has appealed to President-elect John Dramani Mahama to make youth football development a key focus of his administration.

Mahama, who secured 56.55% of the votes to win the presidency, will officially assume office on January 7, 2025. In an interview, Appiah, also a member of the Ghana Football Association’s Executive Council, congratulated the incoming president while emphasizing the urgent need for investment at the grassroots level.

“He [Mahama] should try to invest in the developmental level,” Appiah stated. “If we don’t prioritize the future and only focus on the present, there will come a time when we won’t have a future. This is one of the challenges we face as a nation because we rely too much on what we currently have instead of developing players for the long term.”

Appiah’s call comes at a time when Ghanaian football faces setbacks, including the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco—the first time in 20 years. This, he believes, underscores the need to build a strong foundation for the future.

The former Black Stars defender urged the incoming administration to channel resources into grassroots football programs, talent scouting, and youth academies to ensure Ghana remains competitive on the international stage in the years to come.