The Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum West, Dickson Kyere-Duah, has defended the newly passed Sports Fund Bill, describing it as a transformative initiative that will help expand sports infrastructure across the country.

The bill, which has been passed by Parliament and assented to by President John Dramani Mahama, seeks to address the long-standing funding challenges within Ghana’s sports sector.

Speaking in an interview with the media, the Berekum West lawmaker, who also serves on Parliament’s Sports Committee, noted that inadequate funding remains one of the major setbacks confronting the sporting fraternity.

He pointed out that the Ministry of Sports consistently receives one of the lowest budget allocations among government ministries, limiting its ability to develop and maintain sports facilities nationwide.

According to him, the establishment of the Sports Fund will create a sustainable source of revenue dedicated to building and upgrading sports infrastructure across the country.

MP Kyere-Duah highlighted the situation in the Bono Region as a clear example of the infrastructure deficit. Despite producing boxing legend Nana Yaw Konadu, the region lacks a standard boxing facility to nurture and train young talents who aspire to pursue careers in the sport.

He expressed optimism that the Sports Fund will bridge such gaps and provide opportunities for emerging athletes to develop their talents locally, ultimately strengthening Ghana’s sports sector.

Mr Dickson Kyere-Duah further emphasized that the Sports Fund will not only focus on infrastructure development but will also address the welfare of athletes and former footballers who dedicated their energy and talent to bringing glory to the nation.

He noted that many retired sportsmen and women face financial and health challenges after their active careers, and the fund is expected to provide them with much-needed support.

Drawing comparisons to successful government interventions, he referenced the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), which was established to tackle challenges in the education sector, and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), introduced to improve access to healthcare delivery in Ghana.

According to the lawmaker, just as these initiatives have played significant roles in transforming education and healthcare respectively, the Sports Fund has the potential to resolve longstanding challenges within the sports fraternity and reposition the sector for growth and sustainability.