In recent times, Ghana’s quest to be known globally as one of the best footballing nations including many other sporting disciplines such as boxing and beach soccer seems to be plummeting into a ditch which certainly points to the fact that, the ministry designated to streamline the affairs of sports has been in a slumber.
Further, in the last decade, Ghana as country has clearly lost their steering wheel when it balls down to sports which begins from the policy facilitators who have no clue of the core functions of the Youth and Sports Ministry.
Here comes an opportunity for Ghana to pick up the pieces of it’s lost glory in sports as there is an opportunity for a newly competent sports minister will be appointed for fresh and workable ideas to be implemented.
The downward trajectory of Ghana’s sports can only be as a result of the head of the executive as the sole appointing authority, handing over the Youth and Sports ministry into the hands of incompetent men of substance like, Hon.MAJ.DR Mustapha Ahmed, Hon. Isaac Kwame Asiamah and the current minister for sports, Hon Mustapha Ussif who have all manned the ministry and yet, failed to produce an positive results which is as a result of their daft technical know-how with regards to what their output was when they had the mandate to steer the affairs of Ghana’s sports.
Many sports journalist, pundits, and enthusiasts have one way or the other argued that, the Youth and Sports Ministry just like all the ministry in charge of the various facets of the administration of the country are always endowed with the technocrats who aid the minister in delivering his responsibilities.
Honestly, then the technocrats who have the expertise hence, aided both the past and present minister for Youth and Sports to deliver such appalling results in sports needs nothing but the sacking letters.
Therefore, the question now falls in, is Mr Sharaf Mahama competent enough to be appointed as Ghana’s minister for youth and sports?
A brief profile of Sharaf Mahama?
Mr Sharaf Mahama is a former professional player and presently an official FIFA Football Agent in charge of scouting, promoting, and developing of youngsters both in Ghana and globally.
Plus, he is the founder and the Chief Executive Officer of the Sharaf Mahama Foundation which is also a platform dedicated to the developments of local communities through education and sports in Ghana.
Can Sharaf Mahama perform well as a Youth and Sports minister?
Taking a look at Mr Sharaf Mahama’s interest in matters involving sports, it clearly indicates that he has passion for the developments of sports irrespective of his much interest aligning to the game of football.
However, would the President-elect make such an appointment knowing that, politically, such an appointment can hunt his incoming government down as the opposition party won’t hesitate to term his administration, “family and friends”.
For me, does Sharaf Mahama tick all the required boxes for him to man such an important ministry like the Youth and Sports Ministry? No, the core priorities of the ministry of Youth and Sports is to design sports and youth empowering policies and seeing to its implementation.
It’s obvious Sharaf Mahama has the potentials of becoming a future Minister of Youth and Sports but certainly not in the incoming government. He has to learn with respect to running such a ministry.
Five core functions of the Youth and Sports Ministry:
(1) Development of policies
(2) Implementation of policies drafted
(3) Empowering youth and aiding them to acquire knowledge in their preferred interests
(4) Development of sports infrastructures
(5) Churning out policies to regulate the sports sector
Ghana as a country would want to be known as one of the few nations who’s economy is driven by the numerous revenue avenues sports on it own can generate in order to bolster its derailing Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and finetune it’s balance of payment deficits and the various economic indicators.
Therefore, a much competent individual who would present a clear-cut path with regards to how Ghana can benefit immensely through its interest for sports which is mainly composed of young men and women hence, reducing the unemployment rate, fast tracking the economic growth of this country and improving the standard of living of its citizenry.
