To encourage greater participation in sports among the masses, “we are implementing a significant overhaul of grassroots sports with the establishment of the School Sports Authority,” President John Dramani Mahama has said.
He was delivering his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 27, 2025.
He recognised that tapping into the talents discovered in schools at an early age could help enrich Ghana’s fortunes on a national and international level.
“This body will oversee structured inter-school competitions and talent identification initiatives essential for nurturing future sporting champions. Over 60 per cent of Ghana’s elite athletes have emerged from these school sports programmes,” the president explained.
He said, “We will develop a comprehensive national sports policy to align with international norms. This policy will be accompanied by an exhaustive review of the Sports Act of 2016, that is, Act 934, and the rigorous enforcement of the Sports Regulations 2023, LI 2477.”
He bemoaned the poor form of the national senior men’s football team, Black Stars, noting that the Ghana Football Association (GFA) had to be held responsible.
“Next month, the senior national team, the Black Stars, which is now a pale shadow of its former glory, will play two World Cup qualifying matches. I have instructed my Office and the Minister for Sports and Recreation to hold the Ghana Football Association accountable to the people of Ghana as we prepare for these games, especially regarding the budget of the FA,” he said.
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