In a few weeks’ time, returnee president, John DramaniMahama, will assume the reins of governance after taking his Oath of Office on January 7, 2025.

This follows the National Democratic Congress (NDC) historic feat in the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections held on December 7.

That ended the eight-year reign of President Nana AddoDankwaAkufo- Addo and his vice, DrMahamuduBawumia, of the New Patriotic Party.

It’s been less than a week after JDM’s declaration by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission who doubles as the Returning Officer of the presidential poll, Mrs Jean Mensa, but several calls and suggestions have been flying across the corridors of power.

For bitter NDC faithful, top NPP officials who were alleged to have been involved in shoddy deals should be whisked away by the police or the respective agency in charge of investigation.

Others have urged the new team to hit the ground running in a bid to alleviate the pain and difficulties in which Ghanaians find themselves.

Followers of sports are not left out in this regard. They want to see a lot of changes as part of a mammoth agenda to RESET the nation.

This may be coming on the back of the reality that Ghana sports in the past few years have been on a backward trajectory.

At the last Olympic Games in Paris, members of Team Ghana were mere passengers and tourists. The only excitement seen on the faces of Ghanaians was not as a result of a medal won but the sight of watching members fly Ghana flags during the opening ceremony.

The celebration was about the projection of Ghana as active and regular participants at the games but always far away from the medal podium.

The height of the disappointment was the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the 2025 AFCON – the first miss in 20 years.

In a qualifying group that had Angola, Sudan and Niger, the Black Stars under Coach Otto Addo ended the qualifiers winless – drawing three and lost same.

That is not to suggest that the other national teams are performing any better.

Apart from the national U-20 team, the Black Satellites, that triumphed in the football event of the last edition of the African Games hosted in Accra, Ghana’s success in football has been in minor competitions in the West Africa Football Union (WAFU) B region.

It has been so with many or all of the sports disciplines operating under the National Sports Authority (NSA). Athletics, boxing (both pro and amateur), handball, volleyball, basketball, taekwondo, kickboxing, tennis, table tennis, cycling etc. are experiencing similar fate.

Maybe, the only shining light is the sport of arm-wrestling, Ghana’s Messiah at the African Games.

Obviously, this is not a good record for a country that considers herself as a sports nation and clearly remains one of the first and foremost sectors that needs resetting.

What is of paramount interest to Ghanaians at the moment are the qualifiers for the USA, Canada and Mexico 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Fortunately, the Black Stars languish in second spot with an important away victory over Mali doing the magic.

Under the upcoming administration, fans must see a new composure and attitude reset to meet the challenges to qualify for the World Cup.

Football on the local scene must also see an improvement in teams’ performances and administration.

The brains administering the game must also be reset to understand and admit that the local players are capable of delivering the same results from the foreign legion at a much cheaper cost.

The other disciplines would also need massive push to come up but in all of this, sports with comparative advantages must get the nod over those that should be reduced to recreational sports.

Above all, the sector will need a supervisor with a good knowledge about the area to lead the resetting agenda in order not to lose focus or fall to the conspiracytheories of the sophisticated administrators.

 By Andrew Nortey

 Kumasi Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak are set to renew hostilities tomorrow at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium where they clash in a top match day 13 encounter of the Ghana Premier League (GPL).

The competition is resuming, following a weeklong break to enable stakeholdersparticipate fully in the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.

The game would be the first at the Baba Yara Stadium fortress for the Porcupine Warriors who have been compel to play their games at the Obuasi Len Clay Stadium.

Interestingly, both sides have worked hard to overcome a spell of bad results, with Kotoko for instance, going on a losing streak of four matches.

Those situations at different points threatened their respective coaches’ stay in office as fans go on rampage when the going was tough.

Gladly, they seem to have overcome that trend and are in a good position to entertain the fans in what is expected to live the ‘clasico’ bill.

After a rather poor start, Hearts recovered well and currently occupy the seventh position on the table after a string of good results.

Kotoko, within that same period went on a downward trend, losing about four games ina row before Coach Prosper Ogum managed to turn things around to place eighth, with a point separating them from the Phobians.

Both may be at par as far as performances may be concerned but Hearts’ inconsistencies and the home advantage of Kotoko would give the Porcupines a slight chance ahead of the Phobians.

At the UG Stadium, Accra Lions will engage Nations FC while Basake Holy Stars engage Young Apostles.

Vision FC would welcome Medeama SC to the NiiAdjeiKraku II Sports just asSamartex hope to return to winning ways when they welcome Kpando Heart of Lions.

BibianiGoldstarswould travel to the AliuMahama Stadium in Tamale to face the might of Karela United while Nsoatreman entertain Dreams FC at the Nana Kronamansah Park on today.

The match between Chelsea and Aduana Stars clash at Berekum would be honoured today.

 BY ANDREW NORTEY