The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Ali Adolf John Mburidiba, has appealed to the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, to create more opportunities for the youth of the region.

The minister made the statement here in his office at the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) when the GFA President paid him a visit on Friday as part of his working tour to the region.

The tour of the region by the GFA President was to engage key stakeholders in football to assess challenges on the ground and strengthen the role of Regional Football Associations in their various regions across the country.

He told the GFA President that as the country was preparing toward to participate in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, there was the need for young footballers in the region to be given the opportunity to observe the matches.

The minister stated that his visit showed a demonstration of the association’s commitment to inclusive football development across the country.

Mr Mburidiba stated that his visit was timely and highly significant to the good of the region and Dagbon in general.

According to the minister, his visit sent a strong message that football development was a shared national agenda and that the region matters in Ghana football.

He described football as an important tool for youth empowerment, social cohesion and economic opportunity in the country.

Mr Mburidiba described this country participating in the 2026 World Cup tournament as a unique opportunity that should be leveraged beyond the senior national team.

Furthermore, he appealed to the GFA boss to design a programme that would allow talented youth from the Northern Region to benefit from the national teams’ football administration, coaching, officiating and sports-related enterprises in the country.

Responding, Mr Simeon-Okraku, he applauded the minister for his passion for youth development through sports in the region

He affirmed their commitment to decentralised football development and closer collaboration with regional authorities across board in the country

He stated that sustainable football growth could only be achieved through strong partnerships with organisations and governments entities in the country.