NCCE chair backs Speaker's 2026 Democracy Cup football initiative

National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Chairperson Kathleen Addy has endorsed the 2026 Democracy Cup, saying football can help strengthen Ghana’s democratic culture. Her support was announced on Tuesday, August 25, when Parliament presented the trophy to the commission in Accra during its nationwide tour.

The delegation was led by Clerk to Parliament Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror. Addy praised Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin for creating the competition and investing in an initiative aimed at reminding Ghanaians of the importance of protecting democracy.

She said the NCCE was well placed to support the project because its mandate includes promoting and entrenching democratic values in Ghana. Addy said the event could become an annual opportunity to reflect on the country’s democratic journey and the effort required to preserve it.

Football, she added, offered a natural way to reach the public because of its popularity across the country. The sport’s demands for teamwork, patience, tolerance and commitment were also identified as values that could be applied to governance and national development.

Djietror explained that the Speaker’s idea was to use football to show how people with different roles can work towards one objective. He said players may compete from opposing positions on the pitch but still share responsibilities, respect one another and reconcile after the match. Those lessons, he said, should also inform Ghana’s political and civic systems.

Organising team member Cudjoe Fianoo linked the tournament to the freedoms associated with Ghana’s current democratic era. He recalled that curfews and security restrictions during the revolutionary period made it difficult to play football, while people can now organise matches throughout the week.

The trophy tour will next visit the Judicial Service, Electoral Commission, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, and the Office of the President. It will end on Friday, August 28, when Hearts of Oak face Asante Kotoko at Baba Yara Sports Stadium, with a Parliamentary XI versus Judiciary XI match among the planned curtain-raisers.