Stop Airlifting Black Stars Supporters; It's Unnecessary - Kwesi Pratt

Kwesi Pratt, Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has called on the Government of Ghana to stop airlifting supporters to support the Black Stars in any tournament outside the shores of Ghana.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's Morning show "Kokrokoo", Kwesi Pratt held strongly that airlifting soccer fanatics to cheer a team up was a wasteful venture since the monies could be channeled into developing the country.

According to him, such practice leaves room for successive governments to "abuse" the system and so, take advantage to appease their party faithfuls.

This, he noted, has since become the practice of the two major political parties, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Over the years, it has become almost a custom and a burden on the government in power to airlift thousands of supporters to the World Cup and African Nations Cup.

This is intended to motivate the Black Stars players and spur them to beat their competitors and possibly win trophies back home.

But some critics have argued that such an activity is a waste of national resources, hence have called on the government to either do away with the practice or allow the various private travel and tour agencies to handle the situation.

Addressing the issue, Mr. Pratt told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that the airlifting of supporters to watch Ghana's matches is "unnecessary."

The facility is always abused. It doesn’t matter who is in power. It doesn’t matter whether it is NDC or NPP, the facility is always abused…I cannot support it especially when it is so blatantly abused all the time. So, those supporters we have been airlifting should be looked at and possibly stop it because it is unnecessary," he insisted.