2018 Budget: Government endorses Isaac Asiamah’s vision of establishing Sports Fund

The Central Government of Ghana under the leadership of His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo Addo has given a resounding endorsement to the vision of the Sports Minister Hon. Isaac Asiamah to establish a Sports Fund to take care of the endless financial demands of the sports men and women in the country.

This was made public during the reading of the 2018 Budget Statement by the Finance Minister Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta on the floor of parliament on Wednesday.

On assuming office in February 2017, Hon. Isaac Asiamah has been working tirelessly to establish the Sports Fund to cater for the growing financial needs of the ministry.

The Central Government gave an indelible recognition to the Minister’s vision and declared its attempt to support him to make the dream of establishing the Sports Fund a reality.

Addressing parliament during the reading of the 2018 budget, the Hon. Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori- Atta acknowledged the Sports Minister’s effort towards establishing the fund and government’s readiness to make it a reality.

“In 2018, the Ministry will continue the process of passing the Legislative Instrument of the National Youth and Sports Act, pursue the enactment of the draft National Sports College and to create a Sports Fund to improve sports development in the country,” the Finance Minister said when addressing Members of Parliament on Youth and Sports in the budget.

The Sports Fund, if established will be one of the unforgettable and remarkable achievements of the current Sports Minister Hon. Isaac Asiamah after several ministers failed in their attempt to get the challenge of sports funding an everlasting solution.

Hon. Isaac Asiamah reiterated his commitment to set up a sports fund purposely to help sports men and women during the 2017 FIFPro Africa Congress held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra.

The pronouncement by the Finance Minister has therefore come as a major relief to the young Sports Minister who is committed to ensure the establishment of a national sports fund to help address the challenges of Ghanaian athletes.

''As a government, we are in the process of establishing a national sports fund that will address comprehensively the challenges of sports men and women, including our retired footballers,'' he said during the FIFPro Africa Congress in July this year.