GhanaWeb feature

As the 2024 general elections approach, the leaders of the various political parties have revealed their manifesto policies on sports that they intend to implement if elected president.

The policies range from sports infrastructure, investment, taxes on football clubs, transport and transport issues.

With the general elections scheduled for December 7, 2024, this GhanaWeb Sports feature focuses on the NDC flag bearer, John Dramani Mahama, and the NPP flag bearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to the manifesto politics.

Dr. Bawumia’s manifesto policy on sports

1. Sports funding: A statutory sports development fund to ensure sustainable funding.

2. Sports investment: Give tax incentives to corporate institutions to woo them to invest in sports.

3. Taxes on football clubs: Lower standard tax rate for football clubs and sports entities.

4. Players’ salaries: Support the payment of players’ salaries through policy governance with the NLA and the Gaming Commission, such as the Bawumia government’s direct support to the Ghana Premier League, clubs and players.

5. Transportation: Give Premier League clubs a bus each, as a form of direct support to the clubs.

6. Grassroots Sports: Establish the Ghana School Sports Secretariat, with dedicated funding, to ensure effective and school-based grassroots sports development, in partnership with GES and sports federations.

7. The Olympic Games: Initiate the Operation Olympic Games Glory 2025 program to prepare Ghanaian athletes for the 2028 Olympics, with particular focus on certain disciplines where Ghana has a competitive advantage.

8. Sports development: Collaborate with international sports bodies such as the NFL and NBA to develop and promote these sports in Ghana, just as Bawumia is already doing with the NFL.

9. Sports infrastructure: Continue the expansion of sports infrastructure by the Akufo-Addo government, by completing unfinished projects, building a standard stadium in Sunyani and in each of the six new regions, as well as expanding the astroturf projects to cover constituencies without astroturf.

10. Maintenance of sports facilities: Establish an effective maintenance module to ensure that national, regional and local sports facilities are well managed and maintained.

John Mahama’s manifesto policy on sports

1. Local football development: Support the development of Colts Division One and Two and the Ghana Premier League by increasing the salaries of all registered footballers with allowances.

2. Rehabilitation of arenas: Carry out an emergency renovation of pitches, pitches and other facilities at our national stadiums in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast and Sekondi to meet FIFA standards.

3. Standard Seats: Continue our long-standing policy of establishing international standard stadiums in all regions.

4. Marketing of sporting events: Build more multi-purpose sports facilities to promote regional sporting events and inter-school competitions as part of our talent development policy.

5. Sports investment: Ensure fair investment in other national teams, such as women’s football teams, para sports teams, youth teams and lesser known sports.

6. Improve sports facilities: Upgrade the UEW Sports College into a modern sports university offering training programs in sports, allied medicine, science and sports management/administration at campuses across Ghana.

7. Expansion of sports facilities: Establish Sports Centers of Excellence in the North, Middle and South zones in collaboration with existing universities and the private sector.

8. Athletics: Support national athletes more consistently to compete internationally and develop post-competition careers and pension systems to cater for national athletes.

9. Scholarship: Offer scholarships to promising sports talents and invest in the establishment of sports academies in collaboration with the private sector.

10. Support for sports pensioners: Support retired sports personalities in pursuing other sports-related careers after an active sporting life.

Benjamin Sackey

See the latest edition of Sports Debate below:

SB/EC