Democracy Cup 2025: Military backs Speaker’s call for football to unite Ghana
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, has presented the 2025 Democracy Cup trophy to the Ghana Armed Forces, marking the start of a series of ceremonial visits ahead of the annual football match.
The presentation took place in Accra today, with the trophy received on behalf of the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, by Rear Admiral Godwin Livinus Bessing and other senior officers.
Rear Admiral Bessing, speaking on behalf of the military, welcomed the initiative, noting its significance in uniting the nation.
“As neutral players in our democratic dispensation, and that is the armed forces, we actually welcome this agenda which has been set up by our legislative arm of government, spearheaded by the Right Honourable Speaker, and we assure you that come September 5th, we will mobilise our personnel in their numbers to come and grace this important occasion.”
He observed that football has long been a unifying force, even in areas experiencing conflict. “Ghana is a football nation... sports or football is sometimes used as a means of a unifier between or amongst feuding people,” he said. He added that the initiative could help ease ethnic tensions in some parts of northern Ghana, including Nkwanta.
Mr. Djietror explained that the Democracy Cup has now become a regular fixture on the national calendar, with support from the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Chief Justice. “The Democracy Cup has been accepted as one of the national events which will be observed. So on our national calendar, the Democracy Cup is a critical item which we would have to relate it to as a nation every year,” he stated.
He described the tournament as a symbol of unity and national development.
“We see a concept of unity of purpose characterising that process. Unity of purpose which is so essential, important for purposes of developing, for purposes of building, for purposes of achieving excellence.”
The second edition of the Democracy Cup, now scheduled for September 5 at the University of Ghana Stadium, will see Accra Hearts of Oak face Accra Great Olympics. Ahead of the match, the trophy will be presented to various state institutions, including the President, the Chief Justice, the Electoral Commission, and the Inspector General of Police.
This year’s series of visits began with the Ministry of Defence, following last year’s postponement of the intended presentation to the Armed Forces. “Last year, we pencilled here, unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control, we could not come over. So this year, we decided to start from this place,” Mr. Djietror said.
The Democracy Cup was first launched in 2024 and is part of a broader effort to use football to promote civic education and national unity. The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, has championed the idea of using the sport’s popularity to enhance understanding of Ghana’s democratic system.
The match venue was changed from the Accra Sports Stadium to the University of Ghana Stadium to “ensure optimal facilities, security and a premier experience for spectators, players and supporters nationwide.”
