Ghana loses out of international programme

Accra, July 30, GNA - Ghana is on the verge of losing an opportunity to access funding from the British Council in Accra and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), to embark on a school and community sports development.

The project, which was to train coaches and other personnel for the various sporting disciplines, to be poster to schools and colleges had to be put on hold, after the two bodies discovered that there was a feud at the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) following their contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Mr Dominic Asabea, Director of Winneba Sports College at a press conference in Accra on Thursday, said the training programme was to use sports for education by training personnel for various educational institutions and communities for sports development.

He said the project had reached an advanced level, with the required budget approved for its implementation, until the two bodies decided to put it on hold after hearing of the saga at GOC.

Akua Sena Dansua Minister of Youth and Sports said her outfit is taking steps to resolve the issue and urged all stakeholders to come on board for a permanent resolution.

She said the saga at the GOC goes beyond the issues of office accommodation and other petty ones being put across by the outgoing GOC administration but also on accountability.

The minister said efforts have been made to meet the requirement by organising elections for all the various sporting disciplines and expressed surprise that the outgoing administration is refusing to recognise the newly elected officers.

She said the entrenched position adopted by the outgoing executives of the GOC led by Benson T. Baba "is causing the nation a lot, in terms of finance and infrastructure".

She was confident the issue will be resolved in due time to ensure progress in Ghana sports.

GNA