Ghana looks to build sports industry

The global sports industry is increasingly reflecting the trends in the world economy, with a growing shift towards emerging markets.

The football world cups of 2010 and 2014 are being held in South Africa and Brazil respectively, and the 2016 Olympics is being staged in Rio.

The success of South Africa has given hope to other countries in the continent looking to host international sports events as a way of boosting their economies and progressing with major infrastructure projects.

This month, Nigeria is hosting the Fifa U-17 World Cup, with Dr Emmanuel Igbinosa of the nation's sport commission saying that such sporting events can help "encourage inward investment into developing nations".

Now fellow west African nation Ghana is also hoping to use the sports industry to kick-start its economy.

'Power of sport'
Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo was recently appointed Ghana's minister of youth and sports. His policies are a mix of encouraging grass-roots sport, opening new facilities and hosting major events.

As a former boxer, he believes in the transformational power of sport and speaks passionately about what an expanded sports industry can do for Ghana.

"What is important to us, as a people, is the opportunity to use the power of sport to deliver lasting economic, social and health benefits to our our citizenry," he says, speaking to the BBC at a Global Sports Industry forum.

"We are looking to secure competition events and increase tourist inflows and business revenues to our cities and the country.

"It means sport can influence the national development agenda, with major events bringing long-term benefits and legacies, including city and country branding."

Sport can also boost the fledgling corporate hospitality and sponsorship industries in the country, he believes.

'Private sector'
Mr Pelpuo says it is the responsibility of the government to provide a basic sports infrastructure, but that it also needs investment, from inside and outside the country, to allow the sports industry to reach its full potential.

"We need to provide an enabling environment for the private sector to develop, and for their entrepreneurial spirit and investment initiatives in the sports industry," he says.

And at the centrepiece of his development plan is creating a new sports bill to allow for this public-private partnership.

Ghana is looking to bid for the rights to host the 2015 All-Africa games, knowing that it will cover 22 disciplines. If it succeeds, it hopes to develop modern infrastructure for sports such as basketball, volleyball, track and field, swimming and cycling.

"We want to position sports event bidding at the centre of our agenda to bring economic prosperity to our nation and cities," the minister declares.

"But we appreciate that as we attract more events into the country and increase vibrancy in our sports industry, there will be a need to balance the needs of our communities with the interests and ambitions of our private sector, all within the context of our market economy."

'Iconic status'
As part of this broader remit, Mr Pelpuo wants to use sport not only for economic and business reasons, but also for talent identification, skills development, social cohesion and fighting poverty.

As part of this drive, Ghanaian sports people - such as Chelsea footballer Michael Essien - are being drafted in as mentors to the country's youth.

Michael Essien grew up in Ghana's capital, Accra, where he played for his local club Liberty Professionals. He has revisited the country with charity Right to Play since his move to London. Continued    Source: BBC - BBC News