L-R: Dickson Kyere-Duah, Kofi Adams and Dafeamekpor are Parliamentarians
Some Members of Parliament have donated several months of their salaries to bankroll the recently implemented Ghana Sports Fund, which is aimed at supporting sporting activities in the country.
Following the official passage of the bill into law, the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, urged parliamentarians, government officials, and the general public to contribute their quotas to help sustain the fund.
He stressed that if the funding succeeds, sports will contribute enormously to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), thereby boosting the economy.
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“Legislation alone does not finance sports; commitment does. Globally, the sports industry exceeds $500 billion in value, yet on our continent, sports contribute less than 0.5% to GDP in most countries, not because we lack talent, not because we lack passion, but because we have not yet built a financing system that matches our ambition.
“The Ghana Sports Fund provides us with that system. It creates a transparent and accountable framework to support infrastructural development, school and grassroots sports, elite athlete preparation, welfare systems, and recreation,” he stated.
The National Investment Bank also donated GH¢100,000 to support the project.
Following the minister’s plea, some MPs committed months of their salaries:
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, MP for South Dayi, committed three months of his salary.
Kofi Adams, Minister of Sports and Recreation, donated two months of his salary.
Dickson Kyere-Duah, MP for Berekum West and Board Member of the Fund, committed one month of his salary.
More public officials, corporate institutions, and members of the public are expected to contribute financially as efforts continue to elevate the standards of sports in the country.
SB/EB
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