Kwadwo Twum Boafo, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority has welcomed the decision by the Ghana Football Association to fire Black Stars coach Chris Hughton albeit a suggestion the dismissal came later than it should have.

According to the revered member of the National Democratic Congress, Chris Hughton should have been axed right after Ghana’s shocking defeat to Comoros in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

He argues that the signs had been obvious for a while that the former Newcastle trainer was not the right fit for the Black Stars and that a decision on his future should have been made before the 2023 AFCON.

Twum Boafo does not blame the FA for the delay in sacking Chris Hughton as he believes some elements within the government resisted a move by the FA to have Hughton gone before the World Cup.

He charged the Ghana Football Association to be very cautious and ensure that the next person to lead the Black Stars is a coach of high competence and with the ability to lead Ghana to the 2026 World Cup.

“How did Comoros beat us? How did that happen? I thought that after that defeat he would have the decency to resign. He should have been fired right on the plane. I was a strong advocate for him but he disappointed hugely,” he said.

Twum Boafo is one of many Ghanaians who rightfully predicted that the Black Stars were not going to excel at the 2023 World Cup.

His stance was premised on the notion that while Ghana had some talented players, Chris Hughton had demonstrated that he lacked the knowledge and experience to get the best out of the players.

The Black Stars left the 2023 AFCON drawing two and losing one of their three games played in Group B.

A 2-1 defeat to Cape Verde in the opening game was followed by 2-2 draws with Egypt and Mozambique in the second and final group matches respectively.

With just two points and a goal deficit, the Black Stars recorded successive group-stage exits from the AFCON, having suffered the same fate in the 2021 edition.

As a result of the disastrous performance in Ivory Coast, Chris Hughton has been sacked by the Ghana Football Association.

EK