Former National Sports Authority (NSA) Board Chairman Seth Panwum Boyoyo has questioned the decision to send Ghana’s Black Starlets to Burkina Faso by road for the 2026 WAFU Zone B Under-17 Championship.
Speaking on Adom Sports Page 2, the former general manager of Wa All Stars (now Legon Cities FC) expressed concern about the safety and welfare of the teenage players, who travelled by bus on a journey of about 960 kilometres from Ghana to Ouagadougou.
The Black Starlets arrived in the Burkinabe capital after completing a journey that lasted more than 20 hours. The team had earlier spent four days training at the Winkogo Technical Centre in Bolgatanga before continuing by road to Burkina Faso.
Boyoyo questioned why the young players were subjected to such a lengthy road trip when, in his view, air travel would have been a safer and more appropriate option.
“Why will you subject people’s children to that ordeal? Anything could have happened to them on the way.”
He also questioned the role of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation in the decision, arguing that journalists should demand answers from the government over the arrangements made for the junior national team.
“And what did the ministry also do about it? These are the questions you journalists should be asking the government.”
Boyoyo said the welfare of the Black Starlets deserves particular attention because the Under-17 team represents the foundation of Ghana’s football development system.
‘If we are talking about the foundation of Ghana football, the U-17 is where Ghana football starts’
He argued that exposing young players to what he considers an unnecessary travel risk could undermine the country’s long-term football development.
“And if you put these kids through these danger, do you think it’s worth sacrificing?”
His concerns come amid wider questions about the safety of road travel through parts of the Sahel region. Boyoyo pointed to security challenges beyond Ghana’s borders and referenced the 2010 attack on the Togolese national team in Angola as an example of the potential risks football teams can face while travelling.
‘Will the minister allow his kids to go by road?’
Boyoyo further challenged the authorities to consider whether they would make the same transportation decision if the players were their own children.
“In private life, will the sports minister allow his kids to go to Burkina Faso by road?”
The Black Starlets’ journey has attracted attention because of both its length and the timing of the trip. The team returned from Morocco only days earlier after playing two friendly matches against the hosts, winning the first 2-0 before losing the second 2-1 with the final kick of the match.
The Ghana Football Association has confirmed that the Black Starlets will open their WAFU Zone B campaign against Togo on October 10 at the 4th August Sports Stadium in Ouagadougou. They will face Benin on October 13 before completing their group-stage campaign against hosts Burkina Faso on October 16.
The competition doubles as the qualifying tournament for the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, with the two finalists earning qualification for the continental tournament.
The Black Starlets have arrived safely in Ouagadougou, with no reported security incident involving the team during the journey.
