Mahama Warns on Young Talent Exodus from Ghana League

Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has warned that the constant drain of young talent from the domestic league is slowly eroding the strength and identity of local football.

Speaking on 8 September 2026 at Jubilee House during a meeting with Nations FC, Medeama SC and Ampem Darkoa Ladies, Mahama drew a direct line between early player sales and the declining standard of the Ghanaian championship.

“We lose them as soon as they shine”

Mahama argued that clubs are letting players go far too quickly. The pattern is familiar: a youngster breaks through, strings together a few standout performances, and scouts move in almost immediately. The deal gets done, the player leaves, and the league loses another rising star just as he begins to matter.

In his view, that cycle is weakening the competition at home. The president stressed that Ghana is losing promising footballers at a stage when they should still be growing in the domestic game, building consistency and character in front of local fans.

He called for deliberate efforts to keep these players in the national league longer, so the Ghana Premier League can benefit from their development instead of serving only as a brief showcase before departure.

Fast-track route through the national team

Mahama did not stop at criticism. He floated a clear idea: give the most promising talents earlier exposure with the national team.

He believes that if young players gain international experience while still based in Ghana, they will mature more fully before attracting the inevitable interest from foreign and local scouts. That, he argued, would create a better balance—allowing players to eventually move abroad with a stronger foundation, while the domestic league enjoys a higher level of performance in the meantime.

For Mahama, the question is no longer whether Ghana can produce talent. It’s whether the country can keep that talent on its own pitches long enough to lift the entire game.