Monday, 21st July, 2025
Hon Ernest Henry Norgbey
Ashaiman
Thank you, Mr Speaker.
Mr Speaker, it is with deep respect and national pride that I rise today, in my capacity as the Chairman for the Committee on Youth and Sports of the Parliament of Ghana, to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our National Women’s Football Team, the illustrious Black Queens of Ghana, for their outstanding and hard-fought victory over a welldetermined Algerian women’s national team in the ongoing Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON), far away in Morocco. With this triumph, the team has successfully advanced to the semifinal stage of the competition, where they will take on the host nation, Morocco, on Tuesday, 22nd July, 2025, which will be tomorrow.
Mr Speaker, this achievement is not a sporting milestone; it is a celebration of Ghanaian resilience, unity and excellence. The Black Queens have consistently demonstrated commendable resilience, focus and commitment throughout the tournament. They have indeed represented the nation with dignity and strength on and off the field. At a time when our young generation seeks inspiration and leadership, the Black Queens have stood tall as an embodiment of what can be accomplished through hard work, teamwork and belief in one’s self. The team’s success is a powerful reminder that the future of Ghana’s sports is bright and that our women athletes continue to make us proud on the global stage.
Mr Speaker, it is worthy to note that the last time the Ghana Black Queens reached the semi-final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) was in 2016. The victory over Algeria on Saturday, 19th July, 2025, brings to an end a nine-year gap in the semi-final qualification for the Black Queens.
Mr Speaker, let me state that this remarkable achievement aligns with the Government’s broader resetting agenda across all sectors of the economy, of which sports is no exception. On behalf of the Committee on Youth and Sports of Parliament, and indeed this entire august House, I salute the players, the technical team, the Ghana Football Association (GFA), the Minister for Sports and Recreation and all those who have contributed to this journey. May I place on record, today in this Chamber and across the length and breadth of our beloved country, that the Parliament of Ghana stands firmly behind the Black Queens as they continue their quest for glory. May their courage, tenacity and boldness inspire the next generation and may their triumph be a call to action for further investment in women’s sports.
Mr Speaker, I take this opportunity to call on Ghanaians, both home and abroad, to rally behind the Black Queens as they prepare for their crucial semi-final match against Morocco on Tuesday, which is tomorrow. Let us stand united in our support and encouragement for the team. Let me say ayekoo to the Black Queens. Well done, Black Queens. Continue to carry the flag of Ghana with pride. We believe in them and we are with them from now until the final match.
Mr Speaker, thank you very much.
Hon Fred Kwesi Agbenyo
Guan
Mr Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement ably made by my Brother, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ashaiman.
Mr Speaker, I think it is fair that all of us will eulogise and congratulate the Black Queens for the performance they have put up so far in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournament going on in Morocco. Mr Speaker, I have taken time off to watch all the three matches that the Queens played and I must say their qualification is not a fluke. They have shown that they are committed; they have prepared adequately and that is why we are seeing the kind of results we are seeing. I can only pray and hope that, even as they meet the host nation, Morocco, tomorrow, they will perform to the admiration of all and qualify to the finals of the tournament.
Mr Speaker, I want to also thank Hon Doyoe who admonished all of us to try and take partisan politics out of national sports. Ordinarily, I would have responded to my Brother from the other Side when he said we should congratulate the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the foundation they laid for which the Black Queens are performing the way they are performing because the people of this country—For about nine years, the national team has been on sabbatical leave. I only said that Ghanaians are happy that our football is back from sabbatical leave. Ghanaians will see victories as we move on now. The national team, the Black Stars, that was struggling so much to qualify to the World Cup, as we speak right now, the performance is there for all to see. I am very confident we would qualify.
But Mr Speaker, on a more serious note, as a nation, we have not paid particular attention to female football. If you check the history very well, Mr Speaker, the Black Queens is the first national team to have qualified to the World Cup. And even at that World Cup, they performed quite well. I think that we have not invested so much in terms of the infrastructure and logistics that we need to be able to bring those sports up.
Mr Speaker, I have always argued that if we pay attention to sports, especially football, this whole subject of unemployment that all of us are talking about will be able to reduce by some 70 per cent. Because in the football ecosystem, almost every professional is needed there: right from the driver to the horticulturist to the cleaner, medical doctor, pharmacist, to the engineer. So, if we pay attention, develop the infrastructure and do what other nations are doing, I believe that we can use football, in particular, to solve unemployment in our country. So, let me end by congratulating them once again and urge them on that the whole of Ghana is behind them. We would pray for them and we would support them.
My prayer is that, by close of day tomorrow, the match starts at 7 p.m., Ghana would have emerged victorious against the host nation.
Hon Michael Kwasi Aidoo
Oforikrom
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to comment on the Statement.
Mr Speaker, I wish to congratulate the Black Queens for this remarkable achievement. I know this was not achieved in an easy way but through hard effort and a lot of preparation. I believe if we follow the women’s sports, most of the times, we fail to support them through the needed resources. And it is my hope that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, this time around, will not fail our women, but they will make do with the resources that will push them to the finals.
Mr Speaker, watching the women play on that very day, I had goosebumps because mostly, if you watch Ghanaian matches and how we fare during penalties, one will have no doubt that it was not going to be an easy task. But then, let me single out the goalkeeper, Cynthia Konlan, who saved two penalties, which propelled us to the semifinals.
As I congratulate all the other team members for their great effort, I want to say that we should also take a second look at our investment in sports. I have seen the budget to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and Mr Speaker, fairly, I think the Government must take a second look and support them by adding some more funds to what has been given to them. When you look at the agencies under the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, like the Winneba Sports College and other agencies, Mr Speaker, they are inadequately funded to the extent that even skills within the sports sector are inadequate. We need to train more professionals within the sports sector, so that they can also train our athletes and sportsmen.
So, on that note, I am hoping the Government and the Minister for Finance will take a look at our sports and also consider adequate funding, which will then propel us to win more trophies for this country and also enter into matches that will bring glory to this country.
Hon Jean-Marie Formadi
Biakoye
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to contribute to the Statement this afternoon.
Mr Speaker, I am very proud of our female team because their performance was—In fact, for some time, I had stopped watching football, but watching them play made me feel very proud. I have to congratulate them and also plead with all Ghanaians to pray with them. We should all support them; the Government should support them and everybody, in fact, should go on their knees and pray with them, so that tomorrow’s match will be a win for Ghana because they have to go to the finals and bring the trophy home. That is what we are wishing for them. Women are making us proud everywhere. Even here, in Parliament, women are making us proud.
I pray and plead that the AstroTurfs that were previously done but were washed away by rains will be fixed because the Minister for Sports and Recreation has assured us that AstroTurfs will be fixed. The ones which were done by the previous Government but were washed away by rains will all be fixed and our women will have All I want to tell Ghanaians is that they should all support and pray for our female players and know that the Ministry will build more AstroTurfs for sports that they will use for their trainings going forward.
So, thank you very much for the opportunity given me.
Hon Lawrencia Dziwornu
Akuapem South
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Statement delivered by the Chairman of the Committee on Youth and Sports who doubles as a Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, and to also thank the Ranking Member of the Committee.
Mr Speaker, as a Member of the Committee on Youth and Sports, I stand here with much pride and a lot of joy in my heart, seeing the Black Queens propel to the semi-final stage of the tournament. Mr Speaker, they reached the semi-finals by defeating Algeria in a penalty shoot-out, 4-2, where Cynthia Konlan was able to make some two crucial saves on the day.
Mr Speaker, aside this feat they have achieved, it is also worthy of note that, indeed, the Black Queens have 20 members making their debut appearance on the African stage and they are already making significant strides on the stage. Aside their first match, which did not really go as expected or did not get us the results we expected, in almost every game that they have played, the women from our side have received the most valuable player awards, with Grace Asantewaa winning the Woman of the Match award against Algeria. Also, Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah won the Woman of the Match award against Tanzania with Jennifer Cudjoe winning Woman of the Match against Mali.
Mr Speaker, this feat that the Black Queens have chalked is quite monumental because they have been able to break the nine-year hiatus which is increasing our sense of pride for football. So, I stand here to congratulate the Black Queens for the significant strides that they have made in advancing to the semi-finals. I am believing that destiny will make them lift up the trophy and bring it home at the end of this tournament. Mr Speaker, I also want to commend the coach, Kim Lars Björkegren, for the significant effort he has put in to push the Black Queens to the semi-finals. Also, I would like to congratulate the Hon Minister for Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Adams, who happened to be in my constituency over the weekend.
Mr Speaker, this aligns with my vision to harness and develop talent at the grassroots level in the Akuapem South Constituency. Over the weekend, the Minister for Sports and Recreation made it a point to visit my constituency where I held a tournament for the youth. Mr Speaker, they performed outstandingly and I was brimmed with so much joy, making me know that, indeed, our national football has a lot of potential. The future is brimmed with a lot of opportunities if we invest right in the youth that we have today. So, Mr Speaker, on this note, I call on the Minister, our Committee and the Government to increase funding or prioritise women’s football in our budgeting, so that we can have a lot of funds to support these women.
Again, Mr Speaker, most of the facilities are not in good shape and I encourage the Minister for Sports and Recreation to also improve the facilities that we have in our various sporting fields to be able to support the women to advance and lift the trophy home.
Mr Speaker, on this note, I want to commend the makers of the Statement, Hon Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe being the chairperson for the Women’s Caucus and my Chairman, the Ranking Member, for this allimportant Statement and to congratulate the Black Queens for the feat they have chalked in the WAFCON.
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity.
Hon Seid Mubarak
Sunyani East
Thank you so much, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to make comments on these Statements and I commend all the makers of the Statements.
Mr Speaker, this is the time that we should congratulate our Black Queens for doing this spectacular thing for Ghana. Honestly, since 1998, we have had a ladies’ team in Sunyani. We have the Telecom Ladies and the female players for the Ghana Prison Service in Sunyani. They were all fighting to get to this position where our sisters have brought Ghana to. This means that the Minister for Sports and Recreation and the Minister for Education should make sure that our sisters in the lower schools can get an opportunity to play. We can harness them early, so that they can play for the Ghana Black Queens.
Honestly, they have made us proud. My sister happened to be a player who was playing for Ghana Telecom Ladies Football Team. Since then, I followed female football in Ghana. This has been her dream, to see the Black Queens getting to where they are now. We pray that they can bring the cap home. The name of my sister was Asmani Abdul Aziz. We pray that they can bring the cup home. With this, it tells us that we need to keep an eye on the Ghanaian leisure sports and not only the Ghana Black Stars. Now that the Minister for Sports and Recreation made sure that we support the Black Queens, see where they have taken us to. This means that if the Minister for Sports and Recreation keeps an eye on the leisure sports, we can bring Ghana the honour that it deserves.
We say Congratulations to our ladies and our sisters. God bless our homeland, Ghana.
Hon Sebastian Fred Deh
Kpando
Mr Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity.
The Statements that have been made, has brought to the fore the unifying force of sports. It is one event that brings all of us together as a nation. When our women, and no less a group than a group of young women have taken this up and have done so well, we should all as a country commend them.
Mr Speaker, I am happy that this is happening on the floor of Parliament, and we are all supporting. Mr Speaker, I would like to use this opportunity to go a bit into history. It is also important that on this day, we use this opportunity to commend people; especially, women who have contributed in no small way in advancing sports in this country.
I can mention them from historical accounts. You will notice names that stand out and have made tremendous contribution to sports, particularly soccer. These include Priscilla Hagan, Janet Egyir, Portia Boakye, and Abby Hoffman. You can also mention names like Theresa Abba, Claudia Schumann, and Elizabeth Anim for athletics and tennis. The list is quite long, so for the sake of brevity, I just have these eight names that I think have made tremendous contribution to the sports of Ghana by way of soccer and athletics.
Therefore, on this important day, we must honour these people and they must go into the records of Parliament that the Nation is proud of them. Thanks and commendation to our Minister for Sports and Recreation for doing a yeoman’s job.
Hon Owen Kwame Frimpong
Lower West Akim
Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. With all the investments in 2016, the Black Queens placed third.
In 2018, they were knocked out in the group stage. In 2020, it was cancelled, and in 2022, they did not even qualify. In 2024, they reached the quarter final stage. Now, in 2025, we are in the semifinals. Mr Speaker, the good side is that my friends in my Constituency were so happy last Saturday—
Mr Speaker, in 2016, we placed third —But with all the investments in 2020, we were knocked out at the qualifying stage. In 2025, we are in the semi-final stage. The good side is that my Constituents are so happy that last Saturday, they won their bets and there was no 10 per cent tax out of what they won
Mr Speaker, betting is legal and the past administration was taking 10 per cent of their win. So, they are now happy because when they win, 10 per cent is not taken. We pray that we win tomorrow’s match so that they can get their money in full without paying 10 per cent on their win.
Hon Nana Asafo-Adjei Ayeh
Bosome Freho
Mr Speaker, hitherto, I would have let go the commentary on sports, because largely, sports naturally is supposed to bring people together.
It is supposed to bring a nation together. It is only sports that do not know religion, colourisation, or any party. Mr Speaker, when the impression or the mantra gets to be like we are taking credit and politicising the sports that we all enjoy, then we are bringing a huge division into Ghana. Mr Speaker, we have been preaching “bring back the love” and we encourage all sort of things that will promote our sports and encourage our women and men.
Mr Speaker, when we begin to make it look like in a certain regime, our sporting activity was not doing well, and in a certain regime, our sporting activity is doing well, then you let other people align. No, you can enjoy the fact, but you let other people align. Mr Speaker, if tomorrow they play and woe betides us, I am not praying for doom, but they lose, you are giving the other people the opportunity to come and hit you hard because you are politicising the sports.
Mr Speaker, I would beg and crave the indulgence of this House that we should let the spirit of promoting sports and oneness of this country rather lead the sporting activity, the Committee, and everything that we do, rather than seeking to take credit for something that they did not build in six months. When this team was called into camp, they were not even in Government. When they started selecting and scouting for the players, Members on the Majority Side were not even in Government. So, when they come into Government for six months and they want to take credit, it becomes partisan and people want to align. The ladies out there will not want this kind of thing.
Mr Speaker, let us all come together and make the Sports of Ghana better.
Hon Ebenezer Kwaku Addo
Asutifi North
Mr Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Youth and Sports, I would like to add my voice to the various Statements and contributions that has already been proffered.
In the first place, the coach who is currently handling the women’s team just took over from Nora Häuptle. And for that matter, I would first of all commend Nora for building such a strong foundation for Kim to also continue with what he came to meet. In fact, when he was taking over the team, he made a profound statement that we are not favourites, but we can surprise everyone. And the stage we have got to is indeed a surprise to Ghanaians and other contenders because we were not expecting to be at this stage.
Thankfully, we have been able to reach the semifinals. We are told that there is a strong bond off the pitch, and we are encouraging the team to continue in unity. This buttresses the point that what men can do, women can do and even do it better. So, as they go into tomorrow’s match, as a country, it is our prayer that they will lift the flag of Ghana high and come home with a trophy.
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for giving me the opportunity to comment on the Statement.
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