By Ken Bediako
This is the final part of the 1966 resetting of Ghana sports initiated by the “liberators” who overthrew the government of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention Peoples Party.
Undoubtedly, during that period Ghana was doing well in sports both at home and abroad but “the liberators” were not impressed. The new rulers found everything wrong with the way the nation’s administration of sports was being run. Ohene Djan, the reputed sports administrator was blamed for all kinds of malfeasance in Ghana sports. Indeed, that was the verdict of the Tibo Committee set up to streamline the running of sports in the country. Fifty-nine years down the line, history seems to be repeating itself. Not exactly though. The obvious similarity is that we have a new government like the situation in 1966. No committees of inquiry yet but the national agenda is what is famously termed a resetting process. There is no probe into sports organisation. It’s only the renaming of the hitherto Sports Ministry to Ministry of Sports and Recreation. The spice is there is going to be a Schools Sports Authority within the Sports Ministry This to my mind is a splendid move. Schools sports is definitely the fulcrum of sports development.
Ohene Djan adopted this strategy and his clarion call of “catching them young” yielded fruitful results. Go ask living legends like E.C. O Addy, Ohene Karikari, Hannah Afriyie, Alice Anum, Malik Jabir and Co. They were all products of the schools’ sports system dubbed Academicals. It is my hope that the novelty Schools Sports Authority will work assiduously to give sports development the expected revival.
On this note let me publish the final part of the Government White Paper on the Tibo report that initiated the 1966 reset of Ghana Sports.
Here we go:
“Government agrees that in order to nurture in the youth the love for sports and to promote keen participation in it in the schools and colleges which represent the nursery ground for the country’s future sporting figures, annual regional competitions culminating in national youth championship games should be organised. Government, however does not accept the recommendation regarding the payment of sports fees by students in schools and colleges.
The Sports Council has been directed to review, with the assistance of schools and colleges, the whole question of organisation and promotion of sports in educational institutions and report to government.
The Committee has made a number of recommendations regarding government subvention in the field of sports: reduction in entertainment tax, revision in shares in gate fees paid to individual clubs etc. It is felt that the immediate need to revitalise sports is for an effective organisation, better management and an inspiring leadership. These are therefore the urgent tasks to which Government has directed its attention in considering the committee’s report and has taken appropriate action in implementing those sections of the report dealing with this matter. It is hoped that the new Sports Council will be in a position to reassess and review its financial requirement in the field of sports.
It is also expected that the new Sports body will endeavour to establish itself speedily to develop, as soon as possible, into an effective and self-supporting organisation.
Government wishes to take this opportunity to express its sincere thanks to those organisations and firms which have in the past provided sporting
facilities for their employees. This genuine private effort not only practically demonstrate the interest the firms have in the health needs and welfare of their employees, but usefully contribute to stimulate wider interest in sports and to the achievement of higher sporting standards
Government hopes that firms which have not been providing such facilities will consider emulating this commendable example.
Finally, the government wish to reiterate that it attaches very great importance to the development and promotion of sports in the country.
It not only wishes to see as many people as possible taking part in one kind of sports or the other, but would like to see Ghanaians listed among world champions. Sports provides an unrivalled means of keeping the people fit.
In the context of African affairs, sports provide one of the surest means of sound cultural intersperse between countries thereby promoting international understanding cooperation and unity. Sports also provides the youth with a useful outlet for their vibrant energy.
For these reasons government supports the recommendation to hold once a year a sports festival in the country at which as many kinds of sports as possible could be played,” the Report ended.
The summary of all these publications is to show that for quite a long time there has been nothing new in the nation’s so called programme for the development of sports. It is recycling of the old systems all over if you like. No matter the circumstances, let’s hope for the best for Ghana sports.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
