The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has donated GH¢50,000 to Ghana’s national amputee football team, the Black Challenge, to support its preparations for the 2026 World Amputee Football World Cup in Mexico.

The minister has also pledged to support eight Ghana-based players to establish poultry enterprises under the government’s Nkoko Nketenkete programme, extending the intervention beyond immediate sporting needs to include long-term economic opportunities for the athletes.

Mr Opoku announced the financial contribution and the proposed business support package during a visit to the team’s training session at the University of Ghana. He was accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture, John Setor Dumelo, the ministry’s Chief Director and its Budget Officer.

Addressing the players, the minister reaffirmed the government’s support for the team and urged them to approach the tournament with confidence, discipline and determination.

“You are going to hold the flag of Ghana, and our presence here indicates that the whole nation is behind you,” he told the players.

He encouraged the team to believe in their abilities and remain focused on their preparations, assuring them of the support of Ghanaians as they seek to represent the country on the international stage.

“You are stronger than you know,” he added.

The minister’s GH¢50,000 donation adds to the financial support mobilised for the Black Challenge ahead of the global tournament.

The contribution follows a GH¢100,000 donation from Ghanaian dancehall artiste Stonebwoy, bringing the combined support from the two individuals to GH¢150,000.

Mr Opoku said the team required both financial assistance and encouragement as preparations intensified, emphasising the importance of supporting the players as they represent Ghana at the international competition.

His visit also highlighted the role of public and private support in helping the team prepare for the tournament and pursue its ambitions on the global stage.

Beyond the immediate financial assistance, Mr Opoku announced plans to support eight locally based members of the Black Challenge to establish poultry businesses upon their return from Mexico.

According to the minister, he had been informed that the team comprises eight players based in Ghana and seven others residing in Turkey.

He subsequently invited the Ghana-based players to participate in the government’s Nkoko Nketenkete poultry programme, assuring them that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture would develop a special package to facilitate the establishment of their businesses.

“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is putting together a special package, so as soon as you return, get in touch with us,” he said.

Mr Opoku indicated that the package would include battery cages, laying birds, poultry feed and technical expertise to help the beneficiaries establish and manage their poultry operations.

He further announced that Mr Dumelo would coordinate the process to ensure the players could engage the ministry and access the proposed assistance.

The initiative is intended to provide the beneficiaries with an alternative source of income, promote entrepreneurship and create opportunities for them to build sustainable livelihoods beyond their football careers.

The proposed intervention brings together sports development and agricultural enterprise, with the ministry seeking to extend opportunities under its poultry programme to athletes with disabilities.

The Nkoko Nketenkete initiative forms part of the broader Feed Ghana Programme, launched by President John Dramani Mahama, which seeks to strengthen domestic food production, improve food security and support livelihoods.

Under the proposed arrangement, the eight players would receive essential poultry production inputs and technical guidance to help them venture into commercial poultry farming.

If implemented with appropriate training and sustained technical support, the package could provide the beneficiaries with a foundation for developing viable businesses while contributing to Ghana’s domestic poultry industry.

The commitment also highlights the potential for agricultural programmes to complement sporting initiatives by helping athletes prepare for their economic futures beyond competitive sport.

The Black Challenge are preparing for the 2026 World Amputee Football Federation World Cup, scheduled for November 13 to 22 in San Juan de los Lagos, Mexico.

Ghana have been drawn in Group D alongside Angola, Colombia and Iraq, with 24 national teams expected to compete for the title.

As the team intensifies its preparations, the minister’s intervention provides two forms of proposed support: an immediate financial contribution towards the World Cup campaign and a longer-term commitment to helping eight Ghana-based players establish poultry enterprises.

The players have been encouraged to contact the Ministry of Food and Agriculture after returning from Mexico to facilitate arrangements for the proposed businesses.

Mr Opoku reiterated his confidence in the team and assured the players that they would have the backing of the Ghanaian public as they compete for international honours.

“You have the full support of the entire citizenry of this country,” he assured them.

The donation and proposed poultry enterprise package underscore the importance of supporting the Black Challenge both in their pursuit of sporting success and in their efforts to secure sustainable livelihoods beyond the football pitch.

Report By: Robicon Mornahson