But as Ghana enters this competition with a high flying soccer reputation, I cannot help but wonder if we have done enough to advance sports in the country. Sports, as a friend told me is a common cultural phenomenon shared by the whole of mankind. According to him sports respond to man’s inherent desire for physical and mental activity and impart a sense of fulfillment and richness to human life. For him, the benefits of sports in a society are limitless. First, it contributes to one’s physical and mental well-being. Secondly, it’s essential for the development of a happy and vigorous society. Thirdly, it contributes to the attainment of an individual's psychosomatic health. It is therefore of greatest significance that people should engage in sports throughout their lives. Also, sports have the significance of an activity pursuing the ultimate limits of our human potential. On a social scale it is a significant element in the sound development of the young and the generation of a sense of solidarity in local communities. And as my political science lecturer would say, sports contribute to the national economy and promote friendly international relations. In order for Ghana to ensure the effective and efficient promotion of sports, both the central government, private institutions and local public entities should make a systematic and planned commitment to the issues concerning the promotion of sport from a medium- and long-term perspective by regularly evaluating and reviewing their policy measures. I have the following straight forward points available for the promotion of sports in Ghana. The establishment of a comprehensive training programmes for the development of top-level sportsmen in an organized and planned manner. Specifically, this means the establishment of programmes for the development of sportsmen indicating the concept and nature of the training for Sports Association's rearing top-level sportsmen and of a system for instructing the sportsmen in accordance with this programme.
The provision of full-scale regional sports centres with modern sports facilities at which sportsmen and women from the various regions can assemble for intensive training.
The establishment of a National Coach Academy which would develop and secure instructors capable of managing training programmes which are necessary for reviewing and upgrading the training system for sports and encourage the use of full-time instructors for sportsmen. This would in a long run reinforce the cooperative links among the instructors at the National, regional, schools and local sports clubs.
Identify the directions in which the development of the future sports environment should take place, with the creation of a system in which sportsmen can exclusively and safely concentrate on sports with a view to rising to the world's top level. It would also help stimulate the interest of sports associations to improve their ability and willingness to learn more on sports and sports management.Efforts are needed to upgrade the incentive measures that will facilitate the support of sports by companies. Create a research system in the sports medicine and science area mainly through the foundation of a Ghana Sports Science Centre (suggested name) to permit the instruction of sportsmen by fully utilizing the research findings in the area of sports medicine and science. It is also essential to establish training and coaching methods based on sports medicine and science. Create an anti-doping system in Ghana. It is necessary to promote efforts for the establishment of a National Anti-Doping Organization (an organization responsible for comprehensive and impartial anti-doping activities in Ghana) and to upgrade Ghana's anti-doping activities. It is also important to enrich our children's sports activities both in and out of school by creating a regional sports environment marked by a closer bond between the schools and the local community, including cooperation toward the development of the Community Sports Clubs. We should also develop and upgrade the instructing ability of the teaching staff, especially Physical Education (P.E.) teachers and create an environment for school children to enjoy the fun of sports activities in safety. When you go to some of our public schools, playing fields have been turned to classroom blocks. Existing ones need to be worked on to make it easier and enjoyable for schools to use.
A Public Relations tool such as a website developed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports would be a great way to communicate and promote sporting activities of Ghana to the world. The National Sports Council has a website but the Ministry I think does not have one. With a Ministry’s website, government projects and activities can be showcased online for the world to see. Investors in the sports industry would also find it as a platform to know about areas where they would be able to collaborate with government on sports. It is therefore important for the Ministry to develop a website as early as possible and link it up with the other sports related industries in Ghana.
A national sports newspaper, journals which can be run from the Ministry would be a good means of communicating authoritative and timely information to the public. This can be backed by regional sports information centres. These would help facilitate and develop the exchange of information and dissemination of best practice.
Our Ministry should also put in a measure that would encourage the convening of international conferences on sports in Ghana. This would make Ghana a great sports destination and encourage more investors and interests.
I believe with this little and basic advice, Ghana would be able to promote sports from the local level to the international world of sports.
Our able Youth and Sports Minister, Ms Akua Dansua and her deputies I know are people we can all trust to deliver; we have already seen some actions and hope this continues
e-mail ayiku13 hotmail.com
The author is an Associate Member of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) Ghana
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