Sports Ministry is broke– Nii Lantey

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has said that the finances available at the Ministry is inadequate.

The Youth and Sports Ministry were given GHc 22m for the year 2016 by the Parliament of Ghana.

But Hon. Vanderpuije says this money is not enough to meet the demands of all sectors under it.

“The Sports Ministry is broke. I am saying this because tomorrow (in future) someone will come and accuse me of not saying it as it is when I assumed office so you may think that I am giving excuses,” the former sports broadcaster/journalist said in a meeting with the Sports Writers Association of Ghana.

“I need the support of the media in order to let people appreciate these difficulties. The total budget of the ministry is GHc 22m, but out of that, GHc 11m is for compensation – salaries of workers not only at the Ministries but all the agencies under us – the Sports College, the Youth sectors and the National Sports Authority.

“GHc 4m is for goods and services, so what is left to undertake all sports programmes for the year is only GHc 7m.

“The budget for all national teams alone is about GHc 42m. We will need about GHc 26m for our Olympics team to be able to go to Rio. How do we manage?” He quizzed.

Nii Lantey said it will require prudence and ingenuity to be able to meet the requirements of all the sporting associations in the country.