Sports administrator and former Ghana Olympic Committee Youth Programs Coordinator Emmanuel Olla Williams has called for financial allowances to be introduced for student athletes who break national records, warning that economic hardship continues to force talented youngsters out of sport.
Williams, who heads Dreamland Sports Plus and the One-on-One Foundation, said stipends would provide practical support to help student athletes balance academics and competition. According to him, combining education and sport is valuable, but the lack of financial backing often undermines that potential.
“I firmly believe if these super athletes are given stipends or allowances at school, it will cushion them and help them buy some items or even save,” he said.
His remarks followed a visit to the Inter-Schools and Colleges Athletics Championship at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, where he commended the Ghana Education Service for its organization in the Ashanti Region. He also condemned incidents of student violence at sporting events, urging discipline and sportsmanship.
Williams, who also leads youth-focused initiatives in schools, said Ghana could learn from regional models such as Nigeria’s recent athlete grant program aimed at easing financial barriers to elite competition.
