Govt Urged to Support Tennis Development

By Esther Korantemaa Offei

The Chairman of the Power Tennis Club, Ing. Arhin Owusu Afriyie, has appealed to the government to increase investment in tennis and other lesser-known sports to help identify and nurture young talents capable of representing Ghana on the international stage.
He said expanding sports infrastructure, increasing sponsorship and introducing structured youth development programmes, particularly in underprivileged communities, would create opportunities for talented young people who lack the financial resources to pursue professional careers in tennis.
Ing. Afriyie made the appeal during the commissioning of the newly renovated Power Tennis Club in Accra. The facility was refurbished by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative to improve training facilities and encourage greater participation in tennis.
According to him, many gifted players are unable to progress in the sport because of the high cost of equipment, travel and participation in international tournaments.
“Every time you organise tournaments, there is a need for sponsorship. Around the tennis clubs, you will realise that many of our prospects come from underprivileged communities. The cost of a tennis racket alone is expensive, so providing facilities like this and sponsorship is very important,” he said.
He explained that financial constraints continue to deny many promising athletes the opportunity to compete internationally.
“If a young player from a place like Korle Gonno is selected to play an international tournament in Togo, how will he travel if the government does not support him? If his racket gets broken, how will he replace it? These are the challenges many talented young people face,” he noted.
Ing. Afriyie called on corporate organisations, philanthropists and government to work together to support the development of tennis.
“There are a lot of underprivileged communities with enormous talent. Corporate bodies, well-meaning individuals and the government can all help develop these talents. I have personally met very talented young men who, with just a little support, could represent Ghana at the highest level of tennis,” he said.
While acknowledging football’s popularity, he stressed the need to diversify investment in sports.
“We all enjoy football. I do too but we should pay more attention to lesser-known sports like tennis. If we invest in them, they can also promote the name of Ghana on the international stage,” Ing. Afriyie added.