Minority cry foul at crisis in Ghana sports

Accra, Aug. 6, GNA - The Minority caucus in Parliament have expressed concern about what they termed recent crisis bedevilling the development of sports in the country.

They noted that the recent wrangling at the Ghana Olympic Committee and Ghana Athletics Association among others have darkened Ghana's reputation at the international level, and have thus called on Government to act quickly to save Ghana sports.

Isaac Asiamah, Ranking member for Youth, Culture and Sports in an address at a press conference on Thursday, attributed the roots of the current crisis to lack of good governance and management of Sports Associations, adding that the previous Government devised means of addressing the issues for the betterment of Ghana Sports. Mr Asiamah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua Constituency observed the increasing level of politicization of sports in the country.

He explained that most past Executives of the reconstituted National Associations have blamed their removal on politicization. "It is our opinion that Sports Associations must be organized and structured in the manner the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has been operating with its statutes which enjoin the GFA to establish offices across the country and to elect and appoint their own officers." The Ranking Member also raised doubts about the manner in which the former Chief Executive of the National Sports Council, (NSC) Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah was removed from office "on the recommendations of an administrative body which appears to be more political than administrative."

Mr Asiamah also challenged the appointment of the Acting CEO of the NSC, which currently has no Board, as a contravention of Article 285 of the Constitution.

"The Acting Chief Executive also has no Board to supervise the affairs of the Sports Council. Article 285 of the 1992 Constitution has made the provision in the 1976 Sports Decree (SMCD 54), that the Chief Executive is also the Executive Chairman of the Sports Council unconstitutional.

"Article 285 of the Constitution States that 'no person shall be appointed or act as the Chairman of the governing body of a public corporation or authority while he holds a position in the service of that corporation or authority'."

Mr Asiamah advised the Ministry of Youth and Sports to appreciate modern trends in International Sports that requests that all Sports Associations adopt statutes and establish offices across the country. "National Associations must adopt statutes which shall contain provisions on qualifications and eligibility to hold office, election into office and removal from office of officers, tenure of officers, good corporate governance and financial management of the Associations." Mr Asiamah also called on Government to hasten the passage of the Sports Bill, which would swallow up most of the concerns. 06 Aug. 09