Constituency Games still a work in progress – Sports Minister

Ghana’s proposed Constituency Games remain a work in progress, according to Minister for Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams.

“Constituency Games is still work in progress,” Mr Adams said in remarks shared by JoySports on SportsLink.

The initiative is intended to create a structured pathway for young athletes to progress from community-level competition to regional and national championships.

Under proposals previously outlined by National Paralympic Committee president Samson Deen, promising athletes could eventually be linked to scholarships, academies and national development programmes.

The idea is to bring organised competition closer to communities while creating a clearer route for identifying and developing talent.

Football, athletics, boxing and para-sports are among the disciplines proposed for the first edition of the Games.

Mr Deen has also suggested that the programme could help identify athletes capable of representing Ghana at major international competitions, including the Olympic, Paralympic and World Championship levels.

But questions around access, fairness and how athletes outside Accra will be included have also featured in consultations on the initiative.

The proposed Games are not limited to athletes. Earlier plans have included opportunities to train young people in areas such as coaching, officiating and sports media, potentially creating wider skills and employment opportunities around community sport.

For the programme to have a lasting impact, however, talent identification would need to be followed by regular coaching, competition and institutional support.

Mr Adams also confirmed that the dissolved National Sports Authority board will soon be reconstituted, while leaving the door open for some former members to return.

“We will soon reconstitute the new board. Some members of the dissolved board may still find themselves either on the same board or on other boards because they may still have some expertise to offer.

“Some persons are also representing institutions, and those institutions may still have confidence in them to represent them. They may therefore be nominated again, so you may still find some of them on the new board,” he said.

The Constituency Games are part of the wider sports development agenda under President John Dramani Mahama’s government, with the stated aim of strengthening grassroots participation and creating pathways for young talent.

With Ghana preparing to mark its 70th independence anniversary in 2027, the Games could become an important part of efforts to strengthen community sport.

For now, Mr Adams’s description of the initiative as “work in progress” means attention remains on when and how the plans will move from proposal to implementation.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Tags:  

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.