Ekow Vincent Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo Constituency, has credited the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) government’s contributions to women’s sports for the recent successes of the Black Queens. Speaking in Parliament on July 21, 2025, Assafuah asserted that the Black Queens’ qualification for the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) semi-final—their first since 2016—is a direct result of the past government’s investment in women’s football.
He emphasized that the NPP government put deliberate efforts in place to enhance women’s football at all levels, which helped to churn out talents for the various national teams. Speaking on the team’s performance, Assafuah called on the public to give credit to the NPP while applauding the Black Queens for their semi-final achievement.
“Beyond the celebration of this victory lies a story of resilience, long-term investment, and sustained commitment, particularly in the often-underappreciated area of women’s football,” Assafuah said. “While recent support must be acknowledged, this achievement is undeniably built on the foundation laid by the previous New Patriotic Party government, which took deliberate steps to reposition women’s sport as a national priority.”
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Assafuah further highlighted several actions by the previous NPP administration that he believes contributed to the Black Queens’ success including:
- Revamping the Women’s Premier League
- Construction of Sports Infrastructure
- Development of Female-Focused Football Policy Frameworks
- Targeted Capacity Building Programs
“It was under the leadership of the NPP that we witnessed the revamping of the women’s Premier League through structured funding and logistical backing. It was again under the leadership of the New Patriotic Party that we witnessed the construction of the many Astroturfs and sports infrastructure across the country, providing modern and accessible training facilities. It was under the leadership of the NPP that we witnessed the development of female focused football policy frameworks through the Ghana Football Association, supported and encouraged by a government that believed in gender equity in sports, targeted capacity building programs for coaches and female sports professionals to ensure quality growth from the grassroots to the national level,” he said.
“Mr. Speaker, these investments were not headlines. They were real, strategic and visionary,” he added. Today, the fruits of that legacy are being harvested and not by any single administration, but by the nation as a whole. Let this moment remind us that national sporting success is not achieved through rhetoric or occasion-based praise, it comes through consistent non partisan commitment to funding infrastructure and talent development, especially for our women”.
Fans Criticize MP for Politicizing Black Queens’ Performance
However, Ekow Vincent Assafuah’s comments have drawn strong criticism from some football fans on social media, who accuse him of politicizing the Black Queens’ semi-final achievement at the 2024 WAFCON.
Fans found his assertion that the team’s success was solely due to the NPP government’s past investments “disgusting and unhealthy,” arguing that the team’s accomplishment belongs to the entire nation, not a specific political party. Many questioned whether the NPP would claim credit for every national success and some even rained insults on the MP, deeming his remarks unbecoming of his status.
Black Queens To Meet Morocco In Semi-Final Clash Today
Meanwhile, the Black Queens are set to face hosts Morocco in their WAFCON semi-final clash today, July 22, 2025, with a spot in the final on the line. Despite a challenging start to the tournament, Ghana is expected to overcome the North African challenge after eliminating Algeria in a penalty shootout during the quarter-final stage. The victor of this match will advance to the final to play against the winner of the semi-final between Nigeria and South Africa.
