Ghanaian football legend Abedi Ayew Pele has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting national football development after a closed-door meeting with the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Kofi Iddi Adams, in Accra.
Welcoming the three-time African Footballer of the Year, Minister Adams described the visit as a strong endorsement of the Ministry’s renewed drive to improve Ghanaian football. “If there is ever a footballer so great that Ghana can talk about, then there’s no other person but the one we all describe as the maestro,” he said. “Today, we are blessed as a ministry to have him call on us.”
The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts between the Ministry and key stakeholders to develop strategies for improving the Black Stars’ performance and enhancing sports infrastructure and policy nationwide. “We are trying our best to reach out to everybody, and he has positively responded,” the minister said. “We will work to make our football great and our sports great again.”
Mr. Pele, affectionately known as “the Maestro,” confirmed that the discussion included strategic plans for upcoming qualifiers and broader efforts to revive the sport at all levels. “We gave ourselves a target to ensure that we go through the two matches ahead of us and today, we’ve been able to clear that,” he said. “Now we need to plan again and execute every match as it comes.”
While specific details of their meeting remain confidential, Mr. Pele emphasized that results will speak for themselves. “Some of the things are not for public consumption yet. But when we get the results, we all celebrate,” he stated.
The meeting also comes at a time when the Ministry is addressing issues around athlete representation, particularly Ghana’s participation in weightlifting competitions in Mauritius. Minister Adams disclosed that steps have been taken to ensure more athletes are registered, following earlier hiccups.
Touching on the upcoming Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) elections, the Minister urged delegates to vote based on merit and vision, not external influences. “The consideration should be Ghana sports and nothing more,” he advised. “The leadership that will emerge must be committed to grassroots development and complete ongoing facilities with existing funds.”
