First Vice Chairman of the National Juvenile Committee (NJC), JoeSalam Abubakar, has reaffirmed the vital role of grassroots football in Ghana’s long-term sporting success, urging stakeholders to rally behind the Ghana Football Association’s (GFA) efforts to rebuild from the ground up.
Addressing participants at a recent strategic meeting that brought together members of the NJC, the Technical Directorate, National Teams Department, and coaches of the juvenile national teams, JoeSalam emphasized that juvenile football must be the cornerstone of Ghana’s football development strategy.
“Juvenile football is the backbone of Ghana football,” he stated.
“If we do not fix it right from the base, we cannot expect miracles at the top. That is why we must all support the GFA’s vision to rebuild and strengthen our grassroots structures.”
He called on fellow committee members to move beyond passive involvement and become proactive champions of the GFA’s developmental objectives, particularly in the areas of talent discovery, structured coaching, competitive opportunities, and smooth transitions for young players.
“This is not the time to sit on the fence,” he urged.
“We have a clear direction from the GFA. It is our responsibility to ensure this direction is followed and that we produce quality talent through a well-structured juvenile football system.”
The meeting also focused on improving collaboration among coaches of the U15, U16, and U17 national teams, with the aim of creating a more seamless development pipeline. Discussions centered around more effective scouting, player progression, and alignment with the broader goals of national team success.
JoeSalam’s remarks reinforce a growing belief that investing in and revitalizing juvenile football is essential to reclaiming Ghana’s football prominence on the African continent and beyond.
