Ghana's Black Starlets are currently travelling by road to Ouagadougou for the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship, which runs from October 10 to 23, 2026. The team is taking a bus from Prampram, covering a distance of approximately 960 kilometres. This decision has raised questions about the welfare and safety of the young footballers, particularly given the militant activity and instability in parts of the Sahel region.
Former Acting Director-General of the National Sports Authority, Hon. Seth Panwum Boyoyo, has criticised the decision to send the team by road. He expressed concerns about security, citing the 2010 attack on the Togolese national team in Angola as an example of the risks involved. Boyoyo believes that while security risks within Ghana can be managed, the situation becomes more complicated once the team crosses into neighbouring countries.
The road trip to Burkina Faso is not the only concern for Boyoyo, who believes that Ghana's youth football system has suffered a significant decline. The country was once a dominant force in youth football, winning the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1991 and 1995. However, Boyoyo argues that Ghana has since lost much of its competitive advantage, struggling to produce players who progress from junior national teams to the Black Stars.
Boyoyo cited Issahaku Fatawu as the only player he considers to have made a significant progression from the U-17 level through the U-20s to the senior national team since 2019. He also alleged that some selections to Ghana's junior national teams have not always been based purely on merit, making particular reference to players linked to Dreams FC. These claims remain allegations and require further investigation.
Boyoyo is calling for greater attention to the logistics and welfare of Ghana's junior national teams, including transportation, accommodation, feeding, equipment, and general player welfare. He believes that representing Ghana at youth level should be an honour, not an ordeal. His concerns have sparked a broader debate about whether Ghana is doing enough to protect, develop, and properly prepare the next generation of Black Stars.
The Black Starlets' journey to Burkina Faso has highlighted the need for a serious review of Ghana's youth football development system. The team's participation in the WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship is crucial, as the winner and first runner-up will secure qualification to next year's Africa U-17 Championship. Ghana's football authorities must consider the welfare and safety of the players as they prepare for future international competitions.
As the debate continues, the focus remains on the welfare and safety of Ghana's young footballers. The country's football authorities must address the concerns raised by Boyoyo and ensure that the players are properly prepared and protected as they represent Ghana on the international stage. The Black Starlets' road trip to Burkina Faso has sparked a necessary conversation about the future of Ghana's youth football.
Key points
- Ghana's decision to send the Black Starlets to Burkina Faso by road has raised concerns about player welfare and safety.
- The country's youth football system has suffered a significant decline, with few players progressing from junior national teams to the Black Stars.
- There are allegations of non-merit-based selections to Ghana's junior national teams, which require further investigation.
