Help reduce rumour mongering in sports --Minister

Edward Osei-Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports has urged the press and the National Sports Council (NSC) to collaborate in a mutually beneficial partnership to reduce the high incidences of rumour mongering associated with sports in Ghana.

Speaking at his maiden NSC monthly meet the press series in Accra on Tuesday, the Minister said it is the aspiration of his ministry to see to it that the country makes great strides in sports internationally.

He said even though his ministry has good intentions, it is constrained by inadequate funding to carry through most of its sports development programmes hence the need for private sponsorship in sports. "Presently the sports ministry is one of the least resourced with an annual budget of ?23bn of which three-quarters goes into personal emoluments leaving us with virtually nothing to push our developmental projects.

"That is why the monthly press conference has come at a good time since it would enable potential investors to go into sports. The minister at the same function received a report of the Committee on Sports Development in Ghana, set up after the country's disastrous outing in the last Commonwealth Games where she won only one bronze medal.

Osei-Kwaku said he is aware that sports, especially football is dear to the hearts of Ghanaians but regretted that soon after independence the country's fortunes have taken a downward trend.. He said for the past 20 years no major sporting infrastructure has been contracted to ensure that our athletes' compete favourably internationally hence "I do not blame any of our athletes if they travel and come back empty handed"

Presenting the report, Joe Aggrey, Deputy Sports Minister said the 15-man committee exploited ways by which Ghana Sports would be brought back from near total collapse to be in line with our national aspirations. He said before coming up with its report the committee met with all stakeholders in sports and expressed the hope that the report would lay a proper foundation on which future sports development in Ghana would be built upon. Also present at the meeting was B.T. Baba President of the Ghana Olympics Committee.