Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo has instructed disgruntled Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan to rescind his decision of retiring from international football.

The President after a meeting with the management committee of the Black Stars and the Ghana FA Normalization Committee, on Tuesday, spoke to Gyan and asked him to denounce his decision.

Gyan had announced his international retirement following a decision by coach Kwasi Appiah to strip him off the captaincy and make him the general captain of the team.

The decision by Gyan has not gone down well with Ghana’s president who has ordered the striker to return while asking Coach Kwasi Appiah to consider recalling him.

Below is the full statement:

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, this afternoon, held a meeting with the Minister for Youth and Sports, the President of the GFA Normalisation Committee, and the Chair of the Management Committee of the Senior National Football Team, the Black Stars.

The meeting, a continuation of the regular meetings the President holds with them, discussed, amongst others, the preparations being made towards AFCON 2019, and how to end Ghana’s AFCON trophy drought.

President Akufo-Addo, subsequently, also spoke on the telephone with Asamoah Gyan, and informed him of the considerable national disquiet over his decision to retire from the Black Stars.

The President urged him, in the national interest, to rescind his decision to retire from the Black Stars, and make himself available for selection by Coach Kwasi Appiah.

Eugene Arhin
Director of Communications,
Jubilee House.