Ministerial swap can work for the good of sport

Accra, Jan 13, GNA - Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, Chairman of the Ghana Football Association has stated that the swap of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sport for that of Finance and Economic Planning has the propensity of working miracles for sports development in Ghana. In an interview with the GNA Sports, the GFA Boss said since the outgoing Minister is heading for the Finance and Economic Planning Ministry, he might understand better the needs of Sports and the reason why it should be well resourced.

President John Agyekum Kufuor, last Tuesday nominated new Ministers to fill some ministerial positions and among those named were Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the then Minister of Finance and Economic Planning who is scheduled to take charge of the Education and Sports Ministry whilst Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu formerly the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports takes the portfolio of the Finance and Economic Planning.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe said since the former Minister will be the new man in-charge of disbursement of the state kitty, the two will work in tandem to foster a new beginning for Ghana sports.

"I have worked with both men and though they have different working styles and approaches to matters and issues, both can easily survive in their new working environments".

Mr Osafo-Maafo, unlike the outgoing Education, Youth and Sports Minister, takes over a much smaller ministerial portfolio as the Youth division has now been added to the Ministry of Manpower and Employment. A trained engineer by profession, Mr Osafo-Maafo had his secondary education at Achimota Secondary School before moving to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. Between 1976 and 1981, he worked for the now defunct Bank for Housing and Construction (BHC) where he rose through the ranks to become the Managing Director.

He moved on from BHC to the National Investment Bank to become the Managing Director primarily to undertake the restructuring of the Bank as part of the Financial Sector Restructuring Program of the Government of Ghana between 1990 and 1992.

Since 1996, he has been the elected Member of Parliament for Akim Oda and has held such positions in Parliament as the Minority Spokesperson on Trade and Industry and a member of the Finance Committee of Parliament before becoming the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning in 2001.

Mr Osafo-Maafo is an ardent football enthusiast and has been a former Director of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Sporting Club for several years.

The date for his vetting by Parliament is yet to be fixed.