Ghanaians slam Basintale over ‘unrealistic’ plan to export Ghanaian footballers abroad

Acting CEO of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Malik Basintale, has faced a wave of public criticism after revealing efforts to secure football opportunities for young Ghanaians in foreign clubs, an initiative citizens say misunderstands how professional football recruitment works.

The plan, which comes just months into Basintale’s appointment by President John Dramani Mahama, is intended to explore alternative employment paths for the youth through sports.

According to Basintale, negotiations are underway with foreign teams to create slots for Ghanaian footballers, as part of a broader attempt to widen the agency’s employment reach beyond traditional job sectors.

But the idea has drawn sharp responses from the public, particularly online, where many have argued that football doesn’t operate like formal employment sectors.

Critics have established that player transfers and recruitment are the domain of scouts, agents, and club networks, not government agencies.

Comparisons were made to football giants like Brazil, where even with abundant talent, such processes are not driven by political or public institutions.

To many, Basintale’s initiative feels more like political theatre than a realistic employment intervention.

Some citizens questioned whether it was a serious policy or just a ploy to appease party loyalists and score public relations points.

Others expressed concern that resources meant for youth development could be misdirected into efforts that fall outside the agency’s mandate or expertise.

Amid the backlash, the YEA have secured close to 3,200 vacancies through private sector collaboration, with all processes managed directly by those companies.

Read some of the reactions below:

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