New career paths, jobs exist in sports – Rex Danquah
Magnus Rex Danquah, a Sports Business Consultant and a renowned international Event Planner and Manager, has said there are new career paths, professions and jobs in the emerging sports industry to address part of the critical youth unemployment in Ghana and Africa.
He said these opportunities can only materialize if governments are ready to accord it the necessary attention adding that it would involve complete change of paradigm and mindsets in handling business of sports in Ghana.
“A shift in priority setting vis-à-vis the placement of sports; a higher sense of appreciation of the new global thinking of sports as a tool for re-engineering socio-economic development; a competing driver for accelerated youth employment as well as empowerment and a new legal framework to create and facilitate the requisite enabling environment among others”. He added.
Mr. Danquah made the assertions when he addressed the membership of the Rotary Club of Labone-Accra on “Sports As A Business For New Career Paths and Professions”.
He added that sports as an emerging industry holds great potential not only for new career paths and professions to reduce graduate unemployment but also for enhancing our international sports events management capabilities.
According to Danquah, sports as an industry would offer new specialized opportunities for all stakeholders in sports infrastructure development and management; sports investment and entrepreneurship; sports tourism management; international sports business; sports team, players and club management; sports law and risk management; sports land-use planning and architecture; sports, arts and humanities; sports sciences; and events, music and cultural industries management.
Danquah opined that there are new areas for specialization and job openings in the emerging sports industry only when the Ministry of Youth and Sports facilitates the passage of the National Sports and Sports Tourism Bill to provide the legal footing for greater appreciation.
Danquah also called on the Ministry to initiate consultations with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) to craft new incentive package for greater infusion of investment in the sports industry through defined private public partnerships (PPP) as the vehicle for growth and development.
He called on the Ministries of Youth & Sports and Finance & Economic Planning to commission an economic impact assessment of sports in its present state on the economy of Ghana to appreciate the depth of potentials the industry holds for the nation.
“For me, this is the only way to make us begin to change our perceptions that sports is for school dropouts and does not bring any tangible benefits to us as a people except unity when national teams play at the international stage.
“What about the value it adds to brand Ghana or the opportunity cost of global exposure during matches at international sports events or imagine the number of people we would be employed if we embark on mass sports at all levels of our national lives”. He added.
Source: GNA