I’m having nightmares over money for Olympic Games – Sports Minister

Minister of Youth and Sports Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye says he is having a hard time over how to raise funds for Ghana’s participation in the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.

The multi-sport global event is scheduled to begin on Friday, August 5 and end on Sunday, August 21. With barely a month to go, Ghana’s participation seems to be in limbo.

“As I speak with you now, I am having nightmares as to how to raise the over 940,000 for the Olympic Games,” he told Kwesi Pratt Jnr on TV3’s Hot Issues on Saturday, July 9.

He said the situation sometimes gives him sleepless nights. “I am having sleepless nights over this.”

Though Ghana failed to qualify for football, both men and women, the country is expected to be represented in notable disciplines such as boxing, athletics, swimming and weightlifting, which was the first discipline to get Ghana qualifiers.

So far, a number of athletes including sprinters Janet Amponsah, Flings Owusu Agyapong and Sean Safo Antwi have qualified for the Rio Games. The nation’s 4 X 100m team alongside multiple national javeline record breaker John Ampomah has also qualified for the Games.

Ghana’s swimming team led by Abeiku Jackson and Kaya Forson has qualified for the Games. With this revelation by the Sports Minister, the nation’s participation is in limbo.