The Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has received the Democracy Cup on behalf of the government and people of Ghana, with a call for Ghanaians to protect the country’s democratic gains through responsible participation.
She said the cup, which uses football to promote civic participation and responsible citizenship, was a reminder that democracy, like football, depends on respect for rules and fair competition.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang made the remarks when she received the Democracy Cup in Accra yesterday.
She said Ghana’s more than three decades of constitutional rule, successful elections and peaceful transfers of power had earned the country international respect.
However, she cautioned that the gains should not be taken for granted.
“Those entrusted with public office have a duty to serve the whole country and government will work for every Ghanaian, regardless of political affiliation or beliefs,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also called for a political culture that allowed citizens to disagree without becoming enemies.
“We must be able to disagree strongly without becoming enemies, to compete without destroying one another,” she said.
She said young people, in particular, must be given space to participate fully in national life, debate ideas and make their voices heard without being drawn into violence and intolerance.
The Vice President congratulated Parliament for sustaining the Democracy Cup and using football to create another platform for participation and healthy competition.
She also thanked the participating clubs, players, technical teams, supporters, organisers and sponsors for supporting the initiative.
The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Adams, said the government was also using sports to restore important values among young people.
He said sports taught discipline, teamwork, respect for opponents and the ability to accept both victory and defeat.
According to him, the decline of school sports over the years had contributed to the loss of some of these values in society.
He said the government was therefore giving school sports greater attention as a policy priority.
Mr Adams disclosed that the government had increased its plan to provide state-of-the-art school sports facilities from six to ten regions.
He said procurement processes were expected to begin this year, with the facilities intended to support the development of sports among young people.
He added that the government was also procuring equipment to support school sports activities in schools.
Mr Adams said the Democracy Cup had already attracted international attention, noting that Ghana’s initiative was discussed at a recent meeting of sports ministers in Glasgow.
He said the initiative would become an important platform for promoting both sports and democratic values.
First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Bernard Ahiafor, who presented the cup on behalf of the Speaker, said football and politics shared important lessons about teamwork and cooperation.
He said although the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary had separate roles, they needed to work together to promote good governance.
Mr Ahiafor said checks and balances were necessary to prevent the abuse of power.
He also urged politicians to learn from sports by celebrating victory with humility and accepting defeat with courage.
The Democracy Cup was introduced by Parliament to combine football with the promotion of democratic values and civic participation.
The 2026 Democracy Cup is scheduled to take place at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, where Asante Kotoko and Hearts of Oak are expected to face each other.
A novelty match involving teams representing the Legislature and Executive will also form part of the event.
By Agnes Opoku Sarpong
