By Ken Bediako
Since we are currently in the resetting season in Ghana it’s probably appropriate to recall the major resetting of Ghana Sports 59 years ago. This was after the first coup d’état that deposed the Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah regime in 1966 by the Military cum the Police.
Ohene Djan, the legendary sports administrator was removed from office accused of maladministration.
As recalled in my first instalment, a committee headed by retired Police Commissioner A. A. Tibo was set up, to in modern parlance, reset sports administration in the country as I wrote last week.
I continue with the Committee’s report this week. It says the government accepts the recommendation that the Central Organisation of Sports (COS) should be dissolved and a new Sports body formed. But instead of the structure recommended by the Tibo Committee, the Government has decided that a Sports Council of Ghana consisting of not more than 15 members should be established. The Council shall be solely responsible for policy matters regarding sports both at home and abroad generally with the management and organisation of sports.
The Council shall be headed by a part time chairman and will have a full time Director and a Deputy Director to be appointed by government.
There shall also be established as a subsidiary body to the Sports Council, a Central Organisation of Sports which shall be the main body through which the Council’s decision and objective shall be carried out.
The government does not accept the committee’s recommendation that the Council should set up standing committees headed by members of the Council as chairmen to deal with such technical matters at the organisation and promotion of sport, provision and maintenance of playing fields etc Government is of the opinion that a better method will be for the Council to appoint full time officers in the service of the COS to be responsible for such detailed and technical matters.
Government has therefore directed that five full time officers should be appointed by the Council and designated as follows:
1. Sports promotion officer
2. Medical Officer.
3. Technical Adviser
4. Overseer of playing fields and sports facilities
5. Public Relations Officer.
These five full time officers shall be members of the management board of the COS and shall not only be responsible for the actual organisation and promotion of sports but shall also advise the Sports Council on all aspects of sports in the country.
The Sports Council may from time to time, appoint experts from outside to assist in the deliberations of the COS.
The other members of the Board shall be the Director and Assistant Director of the COS, the Accountant and one other person from outside appointed by the Council.
Government is of the opinion that by dividing responsibility in this manner the Sports Council will be better able to direct affairs in the field of sports in an independent and objective manner required of its members, a function which might otherwise be difficult for them to discharge if they were also to be involved in the actual work of managing and promotion of sports.
Government is also of the opinion that the fact that the former sports constitution did not provide for the effective, regional and district organisation is a contributing factor leading to a decline of sports in the country.
Government therefore welcomes the committee’s recommendation that in the new constitution regional amateur sports committees district, regional and national associations, in each sports should be provided.
These and other constitutional details have been provided for in the instrument establishing the Sports Council.
In order to ensure that only the best qualified persons are employed in the service of the Sports Council and the re-organised COS, government agrees that all the posts in the new structure except those to be filled by government should be advertised but disagrees with the committee’s recommendation that preference be given to any member of the present staff of the COS who have the same qualification as a new applicant. Government considers that in fairness to all applicants, no references should be given but that only candidates who are best qualified for a particular post by means of invitation, experience, etc should be appointed.
The final part will be published next week.
My motivation for this exercise is to inform the younger generation of sports lovers, especially, that the nation has come a long way as far sports organisation is concerned.
As the venerable music master Kwesi Baiden told us at Abusco decades ago “there is no new world, it’s an old world that has now been discovered.” Simply put there is nothing new in this world. People have seen it before.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
