REGIONAL political leaders are increasingly leveraging Ghana’s most celebrated football rivalry between Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko as a strategic platform to promote national local football and social cohesion.
Ahead of last Sunday’s top Ghana Premier League (GPL) clash, Ms Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, and Dr Frank Amoakohene, Ashanti Regional Minister, took to social media to rally support for their favourite teams.
The move emphasises the unifying power of Ghana’s premier football culture and encourages peaceful participation among supporters.
Ms Ocloo distributed 250 tickets to fans, while Dr Amoakohene initially offered 200 tickets and later increased the number in response to the growing demand.
Mr Amoh Kamel, the Municipal Chief Executive for Asokwa, also contributed 100 tickets to the supporters.
Observers believe that the gesture significantly boosted match attendance and reflects a deliberate effort by regional authorities to create shared public experiences capable of strengthening communal bonds across political and ethnic divides.
In a random survey by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr King Cofie, a football enthusiast in Tema, described the involvement of public officials as timely and impactful.
“Their participation encourages people to patronise the match. If Members of Parliament and other leaders continue to show interest, attendance will remain high, even without free tickets,” he said.
Mr Cofie noted that although he was unable to watch the game in person, he followed updates closely and was eager to know the final score.
Madam Grace Owusu, a teacher, stated that football remained one of the few national activities that brings people from different backgrounds together without tension.
“On match days, you see people wearing different colours sitting side by side; when leaders support it peacefully, it sends a message that rivalry does not mean division,” he added.
Mr Daniel Tetteh, a footballer in Tema, explained that football rivalries, when properly managed, could serve as instruments of civic education, adding that the Hearts–Kotoko fixture symbolised regional pride within a shared national identity.
“When regional ministers publicly promote peace before such high-profile matches, they reduce the risk of hooliganism and boost participation in local football again,” he stated.
Ms Abena Mensah, a university student, said the gesture demonstrated that leadership extended beyond governance into social engagement and added that although she was not an ardent football fan, the leaders’ involvement raised her interest.
-GNA
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