Ministry, Sports Writers Association Urged To Cooperate

Accra, 4 Sept., The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) should work together as partners towards the development and promotion of sports. This was the consensus reached by a three-member panel, speaking on ''Ghana Sports - the Way Forward,'' on the second day of the symposium to mark this year's ''International Day of the Sports Journalist'' at the United States Information Service Centre (USIS) in Accra on Wednesday night. The three - Mr. E.T. Mensah, the Sports Minister, Nana Sam Brew Butler, Ghana Football Association (GFA) chairman and Mr Joe Aggrey, president of SWAG - were of the opinion that the two bodies should co- operate in the national interest in finding solutions to sports problems. Mr. Mensah said ''our dear nation does not as yet have any national stadium worth the name let alone an Olympic-size stadium; our boxers do not have even one well-equipped gymnasium'' under the control of the National Sports Council (NSC). ''Our athletes do not have a single modern tartan track in good condition to train or compete on our hockey players have to contend with playing on sandy, bumpy or grass pitches and our swimmers are still waiting for the only pool at the Accra Sports Stadium which is infested with frogs and mosquitoes." To overcome these constraints, the Minister stressed the need for the replacement of the old structures that tend to inhibit the growth and development of sports. ''We need to pull down and substantially overhaul the traditional structures and practices which are now a drag on the development of our sports and in their place, install and strengthen executive management practices, especially in football,''. The Minister acknowledged that the press has a ''major responsibility to help in shaping the public perception'' of the country's needs and aspirations in sports. Nana Brew-Butler said, the ''path that should take our football forward should be a path charted in consensus, by all actors on the stage of Ghana football.'' He cautioned that ''a house divided against itself cannot stand. We have to stay as a team or victory will continue to elude us.'' The GFA boss proposed the re-introduction of the Academicals as the national under-17 soccer team. Mr. Aggrey said, there is the need for regular interaction ''which would clear misconceptions, misunderstandings and mistrusts that appear to be distancing sports authorities from those of us who write on their activities.'' He suggested the institution of a ''meeting with sports personalities,'' a monthly forum at which the Minister, his deputies, the NSC Chief Executive and leading officials of any of the 21 associations will meet the Association over dinner at an informal gathering to chat over Ghana sports. Mr. Aggrey said that SWAG would soon undertake a major renovation exercise at the Kotobabi SWAG Park adding that at the appropriate time, the association would adopt a colts field each in Kumasi and Sekondi. Mr. Amarkai Amarteifio, former PNDC Secretary for Youth and Sports, chairman of the occasion, called for a look at the structure of Ghana's sports administration with a view to bringing it in line with modern realities. Amog those present was Mr. S.V. Akyianu, former Central Regional Minister and Ghana's Ambassador-designate to the Czech Republic.