Mahama raises concern over refereeing as Medeama, Nations FC receive support

President John Mahama has expressed concern over the quality of refereeing in Ghanaian football, warning that subpar officiating is harming the sport's popularity. He stated that the perception that matches are decided prior to their conclusion is deterring fans from attending games and negatively impacting clubs' revenue. "Unfortunately, refereeing is one of the things destroying our football," Mahama remarked.

"Sometimes people believe the matches are decided before they are even played, and that makes the league less competitive."

Addressing the Ghana Premier League champions Medeama Sporting Club, MTN FA Cup holders Nations FC, and Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC, Mahama urged the Ghana Referees Association and the Ghana Football Association to collaborate in improving officiating standards. He emphasized that restoring confidence in the league hinges on ensuring that matches are decided based on merit.

"It is in our interest to make the league competitive. Every match must be fairly officiated so that whoever wins does so on merit. That is the only way to restore confidence in our football," he insisted.

To aid the clubs in their continental pursuits, Mahama presented financial assistance. Medeama Sporting Club received GH¢342,000, Nations FC was given GH¢228,000, and Ampem Darkoa Ladies FC obtained GH¢114,000. In addition, the President called for renewed efforts to identify and cultivate young talent, urging the Football Association to resurrect the Colts League, which he believed played a vital role in developing young footballers.

"We used to have a very good Colts League. I do not know what happened to it, so I want to ask the Football Association what has happened to the Colts League," Mahama said. "I hear it has been renamed grassroots football, but we all knew it as Colts. So, call it the Colts League, and let us all help to sponsor it." He also criticized the premature transfer of promising local players, arguing that such practice undermines the quality of the domestic league.