Seventeen refugee footballers living in Ghana have been identified for further development after impressing scouts during the Refugee Football Scouting Tournament organised by the Amahoro Coalition in Accra last Saturday.

The tournament, which drew participants from across the sub-region, created a platform for young talents to showcase their abilities before scouts and dignitaries. Among those in attendance were former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu, Hearts of Oak head coach Mas-Ud Didi Dramani, and his assistant Abdul Gazale.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Amahoro Coalition, Isaac Fokuo, said the initiative was designed to create opportunities for refugees to realise their full potential.

He stressed that with Africa hosting the majority of the world’s refugees, football could serve as a powerful tool to empower young people, steer them away from social vices, and help them build meaningful futures.

“Our goal is not necessarily to achieve anything for Amahoro, but to provide a platform for these young boys and girls to showcase their talents. We bring together private sector actors to ask, ‘What can you do for these kids?’” he explained.

Mr Fokuo disclosed that the competition would be held annually, with a long-term vision of organising a refugee football tournament ahead of every Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) or African Nations Championship (CHAN).

“The big vision is that before AFCON we will have a refugee tournament. By identifying and unearthing young talents across the continent, we can give them exposure to the world stage. Who knows, as they play at that level, opportunities could open up for them,” he said.

The Executive Secretary of the Ghana Refugee Board, Tetteh Padi, commended the initiative, emphasising that any effort to enhance the well-being of refugees deserved support. He added that the scouting programme would not only create opportunities for refugee footballers but also encourage them to pursue meaningful and purposeful activities.