The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, has reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing grassroots sports development as part of his government’s agenda.

In a major policy address delivered earlier this year in February, Dr. Bawumia introduced an innovative plan to establish the Ghana School Sports Secretariat. This initiative, he explained, would serve as a key instrument for his government to drive sustainable sports development at the grassroots level, beginning with schools, to promote both sports and education.

This vision is now a central element of the NPP’s 2024 Manifesto. In his address at the manifesto launch today in Takoradi, the Vice President underscored his intention to implement this initiative if elected into office.

As part of his broader vision for sports, Dr. Bawumia announced, “We will establish the Ghana School Sports Secretariat, which will operate as an agency under the Ministry of Sports, in collaboration with stakeholders such as the Ghana Education Service (GES) and various sports federations.”

Recognizing the long-standing challenge of funding for school sports, Dr. Bawumia’s proposed Secretariat is expected to receive annual budgetary allocations to ensure the sustainable development of school-level sports. The initiative, a personal project of the Vice President, aims to secure consistent financial support for grassroots sports.

Dr. Bawumia also emphasized his goal of partnering with international sports organizations to position Ghana as a hub for emerging sports in Africa. 

“My government will pursue school-level collaborations with international sports bodies like the NBA and NFL to establish Ghana as a center for these emerging sports in Africa, creating more opportunities for young people,” he said.

“We have already initiated this process with the NFL, the governing body for American football.”

Source: graphicOnline