The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has defended the Ghana Sports Fund Bill, describing it as the long-awaited solution to Ghana’s persistent and uneven sports financing challenges.
Speaking during the laying of the Bill in Parliament on Thursday, the Minister stressed it marks a historic turning point in the country’s efforts to establish a broad and reliable funding mechanism that fully supports all sporting disciplines—not football alone.
According to him, the Bill will finally resolve decades-old structural challenges that have hindered the growth of various sports across the country.
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Mr. Adams acknowledged that public perception of the ministry has long been shaped by constrained resources, which often forced government to channel limited support to football.
“We have had instances where the ministry I represent has been described as a football ministry because funding is mostly secured to support just football. When indeed when we talk about sports it goes beyond football,” he said.
He explained that previous attempts to institute a comprehensive financing structure failed to achieve meaningful results, leaving many sporting disciplines underfunded and insufficiently developed.
The Minister announced that Cabinet has already given its approval for the Bill, paving the way for what he described as Ghana’s first true sports development fund.
He added that the proposed fund will draw revenue from multiple sources, creating a sustainable pool to support grassroots initiatives, national teams, and minority sports.
“A fund that would draw from many sources… that when approved, we will not have the challenges of funding our sports and sports will grow to bring about development,” he emphasized.
Mr. Adams expressed confidence that the Ghana Sports Fund Bill will enhance sports development nationwide, help unlock opportunities for young athletes, and promote fairness and inclusivity in how resources are distributed.
He assured the House that the ministry remains committed to ensuring balanced support across all sporting disciplines once the Bill becomes law.