AFCON without Ghana is like a car without an engine – MP Patrick Yaw Boamah

Member of Parliament for Okaikwei Central, Patrick Yaw Boamah, has lamented Ghana’s absence from the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, describing the tournament without the Black Stars as “a car without an engine.”The legislator expressed his disappointment over the team’s failure to qualify, attributing it to a lack of preparation and seriousness from those responsible. Ghana finished bottom of their qualifying group, which included Angola, Sudan, and Niger, with Angola and Sudan advancing to the finals in Morocco.Speaking on Sporty FM’s Drive Time Show, Boamah said it would be disheartening to watch the competition without Ghana’s national anthem being played."That you’ll be watching AFCON without the national anthem being played, while anthems of other countries are being played… It’s painful," he said. "Because we were ill-prepared and not serious at the time."He, however, believes the setback should serve as an opportunity for reflection and rebuilding."Maybe it’s a good thing for us to use this time to assess our players in Europe, Africa, and Asia, and rebuild a strong and attractive national team," he added.The Black Stars have since redeemed themselves by qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.