AFCON 2025Q: Ghana Black Stars considering Boycotting match with Sudan over Galamsey concerns

Players of the Senior National football team, the Black Stars, have reportedly threatened to boycott their upcoming African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sudan. The move is meant not just to protest against the ravaging galamsey menace in the country but also to mount pressure on the government to wake up to the cry of Ghanaians.

The players want the government to take immediate action to address the devastating galamsey (illegal mining) menace. The players are said to have served notice to management that they will be forced to issue a statement publicly to express their deep concern over the environmental and social impact of galamsey, which has polluted rivers, destroyed farmlands, and displaced communities.

The issue is said to have generated a huge controversy among the players on their WhatsApp platform, where the threats gathered momentum. “We, the players, are deeply worried about the future of our beloved country,” one of the invited players is alleged to have told a management committee member. “Galamsey is a national crisis that requires urgent attention. We cannot continue to represent Ghana on the international stage while our homeland suffers,” another player, whose family member gave birth to a child with deformity as a result of galamsey, said.

According to highly reliable sources, one player has angrily encouraged his teammates to boycott the call-ups in protest of the wanton destruction of water bodies and forest reserves in the country. “When I returned to camp after the last national assignments, many of my colleagues did not want to associate with me because they suspected I had consumed highly contaminated water from Ghana, and this got me devastated for weeks,” he continued. “We want to see tangible steps taken to stop galamsey, hold perpetrators accountable, and support affected communities,” another player angrily stated.

GFA’s reaction

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has denied knowledge of this boycott plan as no official communication has been received from the players. A source, who pleaded anonymity, however, confirmed that there was a rumor among the FA officials and some management members of the senior national team, which lent credence to the threats of the players.

The Black Stars’ boycott threat comes after recent reports revealed alarming levels of mercury and other toxins in major rivers, posing serious health risks to millions of Ghanaians. Meanwhile, the government appears unconcerned about the canker and its dire consequences on all Ghanaians across the country, as it continues to pay lip service while rivers and streams continue to be destroyed daily by Chinese miners and their local collaborators.

In a shocking move, some government officials have indicated that an attempt by the government to halt the illegal mining activities will affect the governing party’s fortunes in the next general polls in December this year. In their view, a halt will mean that the many unemployed youth who have ventured into illegal mining activities and are destroying rivers and streams across the country will vote massively for the opposition NDC.

In spite of the concomitant effects the country has started witnessing as a result of the galamsey menace, government officials claim the huge outcry by Ghanaians has not been genuine but politically motivated. They have accused the main opposition NDC of being behind recent demonstrations to draw the president’s attention to the massive destruction of water bodies and forest reserves across the country.

The Black Stars’ match against Sudan is scheduled for October 12. If the boycott goes ahead, it could have significant implications for Ghana’s AFCON qualifying campaign. Meanwhile, the Black Stars have managed just one point out of a possible six from their first two qualifying matches after losing by a lone goal to Angola at home and securing a point against Niger away.

Source: Citizen Kojo Nyame || newsalertgh.com