Vice President Reaffirms Sports as Key Driver of National Development
Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to leveraging sports and recreation as a strategic tool for national development, emphasizing the sector’s role in economic growth, social cohesion, and public wellbeing.
The Vice President made the remarks during a working visit to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, where she highlighted the importance of sports in Ghana’s development and praised ongoing reforms within the sector.
According to a statement from the Ministry’s PR and Communications Unit, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang used the visit to receive briefings on current initiatives, reaffirming her commitment to fostering a thriving sports ecosystem in the country.
She commended Minister of Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams for excellent leadership over the past year and stressed that service to humanity remains the core calling of public servants.
The Vice President emphasized the importance of proactively addressing the needs of Ghanaians and pledged her personal support to the Ministry, particularly in ensuring the timely release of logistics and resources to facilitate its work.
The Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams, in turn, outlined the Ministry’s recent interventions, highlighting Ghana’s progress in sports safety, governance, and funding.
He recalled that following the death of a football supporter, the Ministry suspended the Premier League, conducted safety audits, and established a Sports Police Unit. In boxing, decisive action was taken after the death of boxer Gabriel Olanrewaju, including overhauling boxing regulations and introducing national medical protocols.
The Minister noted that over $904,000 in overdue salaries for Black Stars staff had been cleared, while Parliament had passed the Ghana Sports Fund Bill to support sports infrastructure and development.
The Vice President also celebrated the contribution of sports and recreation to Ghana’s economy, noting the sector’s significant role in national development.
