Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has officially handed over the 2025 Democracy Cup trophy to President John Dramani Mahama in Accra, ahead of the upcoming football showdown between Accra Hearts of Oak and Accra Great Olympics on September 5.
Launched in 2024, the Democracy Cup is Speaker Bagbin’s initiative to harness the passion for football as a vehicle for promoting democracy, national unity, peace, and civic participation. The competition features some of Ghana’s most storied football rivals in a bid to foster harmony through sport.
At the presentation ceremony, Speaker Bagbin was joined by the Minister for Sports, Kofi Adams, the Clerk to Parliament, Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, and a number of football icons including former Black Stars captain John Mensah and former defender Amankwah Mireku.
Curtain-Raiser Match
As part of the programme, a special exhibition match will precede the main fixture. Members of Parliament, led by Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, will take on a team representing the Judiciary at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium. The friendly match is intended to deepen public confidence in Parliament and strengthen ties between citizens and state institutions.
Speaker Bagbin extended an invitation to President Mahama to attend the match and perform the ceremonial kick-off. He further announced that proceeds from the event will fund FIFA-certified training for Physical Education teachers in senior high schools nationwide, with the aim of nurturing grassroots sports talent across constituencies.
Mahama’s Remarks
President Mahama praised the Democracy Cup as a timely platform for reinforcing the values of democracy. He noted that football exemplifies fairness, discipline, teamwork, and respect for rules—principles that mirror the democratic ideal.
He also called on young people to cherish and safeguard Ghana’s democratic system, while urging leaders to resist partisanship and authoritarian tendencies. “Strengthening our institutions and working together inclusively,” he said, “will ensure that democracy in Ghana continues to flourish.”
