13-member technical committee inaugurated for national sports fund
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, has inaugurated a 13- member Technical Committee, to oversee the creation of the National Sports Fund (NSF) and other relation issues.
The committee, headed by Mr. Pius Enam Hadzide, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, is to review the legal and institutional framework for the establishment of the NSF and revenue streams.
Other members of the committee are, Mr. Frank Quist, Mr. Robert Sarfo-Mensah, Dr. Kwame Baah-Nuako, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Mr. Daniel Magnus Rex Danquah, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi, Dr. K.K. Sarpong, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah, Mr. Kwabena Yeboah, Madam Sophia Korkor, Madam Angela Forson and Mr. Lawrence Agyinsam.
The committee, is make recommendations and advice the ministry on issues relating to rationalizing of all national teams related sponsorships, review of any existing sports lottery agreement.
According to Mr. Asiamah, inadequate funding for sports programs and projects, have been the cause of Ghana’s under-achievements in sports.
“Inadequate funds to provide the necessary infrastructure, build the capacity of sports personnel, attract and maintain highly qualified personnel, provide support services to elite and up and coming sports persons, provide adequate sports equipment as well as organize national and international sports events, have been the major reasons for our under-achievements in sports.
“All these require substantial financial outlay. Unfortunately competing priorities of government, does not allow the funding for all the 43 sporting disciplines, sports programs and projects from national coffers.” He stated.
He noted that sports today, was not only about winning championships and medals, but also a means to an end.
“The means to an end is the use of sports to achieve developmental goals such as job creation, peaceful co-existence, teamwork, acceptance of rules and respect for one another.
“Today sport is used as a tool to eliminate social vices like crime, drug abuse, racism, hooliganism, violence and discrimination. Sports as a means to an end is very crucial to a developing democratic nation like Ghana,” he added.
In his response Mr. Hadzide, Chairman for the committee, said the vision of government was to establish a sustainable and reliable source of funding for sports and sports infrastructure development.
“Sports funding and infrastructural development is a laudable idea and vision…this has to happen if government has to live up to the obligation imposed on it by article 37(5) of the 1992 constitution,” he said.
Mr. Hadzide assured the minister and government of the technical committee’s willingness to work and justify the trust repose in them
“We are aware of the onerous responsibilities this nomination imposes on us…we shall work diligently and to the best of our abilities,” he said.
Source: GNA