Former Asante Kotoko Board Chairman and current President of Rugby Africa, Herbert Mensah, has criticized the excessive spending on the Black Stars and other sports in Ghana, citing the lack of tangible results over the years.
In an interview with Joy News, Mensah expressed disappointment over the misuse of taxpayers’ money, particularly on the senior men’s national football team, which has gone 42 years without winning the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). He argued that such wasteful spending should no longer be tolerated.
"We have to look inwardly at ourselves. A great sporting nation like Ghana is no longer a great sporting nation," Mensah remarked. "You go to the Olympics, we wasted taxpayers' money. You go to the Commonwealth Games, we’ve wasted taxpayers' money. You go to the Nations Cup [AFCON], and the amount of money that is spent, singularly on football—the political sport—is not acceptable."
Mensah’s comments follow the Black Stars’ dismal failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco. The team managed only three points in six qualifying matches, drawing three and losing the rest to Angola, Niger, and Sudan in Group F.
Beyond football, Mensah highlighted the broader struggles of Ghanaian sports, citing failures at major global events such as the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. He emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of the country’s sports funding priorities, suggesting that a more strategic approach could yield better results.
"Spending large sums of the country’s money without any proper results should be intolerable," Mensah said, urging a reassessment of resource allocation in Ghanaian sports.
The Rugby Africa president’s remarks have sparked a broader conversation about the future of sports in Ghana, with calls for greater accountability and reforms to restore the nation’s once-illustrious sporting reputation.
