The Peoples’ National Convention (PNC) joins the entire citizenry to express its embarrassment, disbelief and repulsion at the turn of events during the Black Stars of Ghana and the Crocodiles of Lesotho Nations/World Cup qualifier. Surely, this unfortunate incident injures our pride as a nation of 55 years that has made great strides in sports in particular and touts its middle income status. At the core of this incident is our exposure as a country of our reactionary nature and inability to plan for alternative A, B, C and sometimes D in many instances. We wait for the unexpected to happen, set-up probes and inquiries and let recommendations gather dust! No, this trend must not be allowed any longer.

For the first time, the PNC expects government to sanction and appropriately discipline all in the chain of command whose duty it was to oversee the total success of this football match. Sport-loving Ghanaians have been shortchanged by this embarrassment. Fans who patronized this match should have their gate fees waived in the next match and anything short of an official apology from Government will not be countenanced by the good people of Ghana.

We entreat the gallant players of the Black Stars to hold their heads high up, as under our local coach, they have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt the can-do spirit. This should urge them on in their subsequent matches as we all pray that Ghana qualifies for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Sports Council, the Ghana Football Association and the Electricity Corporation of Ghana must accordingly see heads roll for this otherwise avoidable catastrophic disgrace on our national pride and honour.

We in the PNC are simply alarmed and rocked to the marrow by this harrowing event. Never, Never and Never again should our Nation be humiliated by the negligence of officialdom.

Bernard Mornah

General Secretary