Bawumia vows to overhaul sports funding when elected president

Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, has announced plans for a substantial shift in sports funding to propel Ghana towards modern sports development.

During his address on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, unveiling his vision for Ghana, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the need for a fundamental transformation in sports financing, citing inadequate and unsustainable funding as a significant barrier to Ghana's sporting potential.

"Sports is a multi-million dollar industry and an enabler for the youth," Dr. Bawumia said.

"However, we have not realized our full sports potential, and we cannot maximize the full potential of Ghana sports, with the same funding module we have operated with since independence."

In his bid to revitalize Ghana's sports sector, Dr. Bawumia pledged to implement policies and incentives aimed at bolstering both private and public investment in sports.

"My government will therefore, prioritise the creation of incentives for corporate sponsorship as a sustainable module of financing sports development and promotion for our national teams, including football, athletics and boxing at all levels.”

Dr. Bawumia also outlined plans to channel increased funding towards grassroots sports development, highlighting the creation of the School Sports Secretariat as a pivotal initiative.

This agency, operating under the auspices of the Ministry responsible for Sports in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and sports federations, will drive grassroots sports initiatives within schools.