Finance Ministry clearance to address 450-staff shortage at NSA

The National Sports Authority (NSA) is set to receive a significant boost as clearance from the Ministry of Finance is expected to trigger a large-scale recruitment drive to address staffing shortages across the country.

The development could pave the way for the authority to fill more than 450 vacant positions, a move aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of Ghana’s sports governing body.

The NSA, established under the Sports Act 2016 (Act 934), serves as the apex institution responsible for the development and promotion of sports in Ghana. Its mandate includes the monitoring and management of national sporting facilities and providing technical support to sports associations and federations in line with government policy.

Once financial clearance is granted, the authority is expected to officially announce vacancies to recruit personnel in several key areas currently experiencing critical shortages.

Among the most affected units are technical field officers, including coaches, grassroots sports development officers and researchers. Other departments such as estates, security, information technology and marketing are also reported to be severely understaffed.

The recruitment discussions follow recent public debate surrounding the emergency hiring of 17 personnel by the authority. In response, Kofi Adams, the Minister for Sports and Recreation, directed the affected individuals to reapply through the appropriate process to enable the Public Services Commission to regularize their appointments and ensure improved conditions of service.

In recent months, the NSA has also benefited from the establishment of an Operations Unit, which has played a key role in coordinating and fast-tracking many of the authority’s activities, particularly during a period when the institution operated without a governing board throughout much of 2025.

Under the leadership of Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the NSA has recorded several achievements, including the recovery of misappropriated and undocumented assets belonging to the authority.

Over the past year, the NSA has also sought to inject renewed energy into the sports sector through improved infrastructure management, stronger relationships with sports federations, enhanced internally generated funds, expanded corporate partnerships and increased coordination of national sporting events.

The anticipated recruitment drive is therefore expected to further strengthen the authority’s capacity as it works to accelerate sports development and facility management across Ghana.