By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, Sept 02, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama has lauded Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament for initiating the Democracy Cup Trophy.
“This cup is not just a trophy; it is a national symbol. It is an enduring reminder of democracy’s value and our collective responsibility to safeguard it,” he said.
“The Speaker’s initiative in instituting this cup is very commendable.”
President Mahama gave the commendation on Tuesday, when he received the Democracy Cup Trophy from Speaker Bagbin at the Presidency in Accra.
The presentation comes ahead of the match between Accra Hearts of Oak and Accra Great Olympics, slated for September 5, at the University of Ghana Stadium.
The Democracy Cup was instituted by Speaker Bagbin in collaboration with the Ghana Football Association to commemorate 30 years of uninterrupted parliamentary democracy under Ghana’s Fourth Republican Constitution, which began in 1993.
President Mahama in his address after receiving the Trophy noted that by linking democracy with sports, Speaker Bagbin had created an innovative platform that engages the energies of our youth, inspires our citizens, and raises awareness about the centrality of democratic governance to Ghana’s peace, stability, and progress.
He said since 1992, Ghana had chosen the path of constitutional democracy; declaring that “along this journey, we have encountered challenges, but we’ve also made remarkable progress”.
“Our democracy has provided a framework for peaceful transitions of power, the protection of human rights, and the expansion of our civic freedoms, and also the participation of our citizens in shaping their own future and destinies.”
President Mahama said democracy was not merely about elections; stating that it was about accountability and inclusion.
“It is about fairness and justice. It is about creating a society where every Ghanaian can aspire and achieve regardless of their background,” he stated.
“As leaders, we must be reminded that democracy thrives only when institutions are strong, transparent, and independent.”
He said Ghanaians must resist the temptation of partisanship, authoritarianism, and impunity.
“Our duty is to govern with humility and place the interests of the people above all else. As citizens, democracy requires our vigilance and our participation,” the President said.
“It calls on us to hold leaders accountable, to reject violence, to value diversity, and defend the freedoms that others before us struggled to secure.”
He said the democracy cup was mighty because it speaks directly to the youth.
President Mahama said through football, it communicates that democracy like sports demands rules, it demands fairness, discipline, and respect for one another.
He said it teaches Ghanaians that while competition was healthy, the goal was unity, progress, and nation building.
“So, to our young people, I say democracy is your inheritance, but it’s also your responsibility. You must cherish it, you must nurture it, and when called upon, you must defend it with courage and conviction,” he said.
He lauded Speaker Bagbin for his thoughtful initiative.
“I accept the democracy cap not as a personal honor, but on behalf of the people of Ghana whose resilience and faith continue to sustain our democracy,” he said.
“May this cap remind us daily that democracy is not an event, but a living process, a process that we must all work together to protect and deepen for generations to come.”
Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin in his remarks noted that the Democracy Cup was far more than a trophy for a victory of a football match.
He said it was a civic platform, one that brings Parliament closer to the people by harnessing the unifying, energizing and cultural power of football to deepen trust in the nation’s democratic institutions and rekindle faith in the promise of its democracy.
“Football in Ghana is not merely a sport. It is a passion. It is an identity. It is a community. By linking Parliament and football, we speak a language every Ghanaian understands,” the Speaker said. “And in so doing, we strengthen the bonds between governance and the people, especially the youth.”
He said a key feature of the 2025 edition was the investment or part of the process into professional FIFA-certified training for Physical Education Teachers in Senior High Schools across the 276 constituencies of Ghana.
“This intervention is not just symbolic, it is strategic. It is a deliberate effort to equip our physical education teachers with the skills and exposure needed to identify, nurture and develop young football talents from the grassroots. We are trying to catch them young.”
The Speaker extended a special invitation to the President to witness the Democracy Cup Football March on Friday, September 5, at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium.
At the event were Mr Kurt Okraku, President of the Ghana Football Association; Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, Minister of Sports and Recreation; Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament and some former key plays of the senior national football team, the Black Stars.
GNA