The launch of the Democracy Cup, the soccer event scheduled for early July to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth Republic, is a smart consolidation of democracy that could only take a smart man like the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin to think up.
This is according to a group of admirers and well-wishers of the Speaker in the Western Region of Ghana who are celebrating the initiative.
“What the Speaker is doing with this democracy cup is simply thinking outside the box, and in so doing, proverbially using what we have to get what we want for our precious democracy,” said Frank Mintah, a vibrant Bagbin adherent.
Explaining, he said, through the democracy cup initiative, the Speaker is using arguably, Ghana’s most uniting social capital, football, to help nourish and replenish the country’s chosen governance system, democracy.
“The Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has just proven himself, once more, to be ahead of his contemporaries in terms of thought – using football which is the one thing that unites all Ghanaians, to consolidate our democracy is probably the smartest thing of the decade.”
The Speaker of Parliament launched the Democracy Cup, in mid-June.
A one-off football event, the match will be played to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the country’s Fourth Republic.
The event, scheduled for July 5, 2024, at the Accra Sports Stadium, will feature a headline match between Premier League giants Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko.
A curtain-raiser will see Members of Parliament take on former Black Stars players, adding an extra layer of entertainment to the occasion.
The winner of the Hearts of Oak versus Asante Kotoko clash will also be offered the chance to play against American club DC United in Washington later this year.
“Apart from the genius innovation behind the democracy cup, its timing in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections is also very apt,” Mr. Frank Mintah said, congratulating the Speaker for, “leaving another fine example for posterity.”
On his part, Kofi Mensah who is also an ardent fan of Speaker Bagbin, added his voice to calls to annualize the democracy cup, saying the initiative truly holds potential to dampen tensions that often characterize elections.
Mr. Kofi Mensah also asked that the cup be named after the Rt. Hon. ASK Bagbin.
“This definitely should become a calendar event in Ghana which should be marked in every election year because of the sooth that it can put on election-related tensions. But more importantly, I think it should be named after the initiator, the Rt. Hon. Bagbin himself.
“In fact, Speaker Bagbin’s contribution to the country’s democracy is too great and must be celebrated by the nation at all cost, look at the mega respect he commands in both local and international circles, look at the many people he has helped in diverse ways.” Mr. Frank Mintah said.