The National Sports Authority (NSA) has inaugurated a five-member Resource Mobilisation and Partnership Committee as part of efforts to secure sustainable funding and strengthen strategic partnerships for the development of sport in Ghana.
The committee, chaired by African Paralympic Committee President Samson Deen, was inaugurated in Accra on Friday and has been tasked with exploring new approaches to resource mobilisation while deepening collaboration between the NSA and potential partners.
Speaking at the inauguration, Deen said the committee’s mandate must extend beyond the traditional practice of seeking financial assistance, arguing that Ghana needs a more structured approach to investing in its sporting talent.
“Resource mobilisation must not mean simply asking for money,” Deen said.
He stressed that Ghana possesses abundant sporting talent but lacks the systems required to identify, finance, develop and promote athletes to the highest level.
“Ghana does not lack sporting talent. What we must build is the system that finds the talent, finances the talent, develops the talent, projects the talent — and takes that talent to the podium,” he said.
Sports federations and athletes have regularly faced financial challenges, particularly in the build-up to major international competitions. Deen believes the country must move away from last-minute fundraising and adopt a long-term investment strategy.
“We must move from emergency funding to strategic investment,” he said.
The committee is expected to engage a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies, corporate institutions, development partners, sports federations, the media and organisations involved in sports development.
Deen also identified the proposed Constituency Games as a potentially important vehicle for grassroots talent identification and development.
He said the initiative should not be treated simply as another competition on Ghana’s sporting calendar but should instead serve as part of a broader national talent-development strategy.
“The Constituency Games must not become just another competition on the calendar. They must become a national talent-discovery movement,” he said.
Under the proposed model, athletes identified through community and constituency competitions would be given a pathway through regional and national competitions before progressing into elite development programmes.
Deen further highlighted the role of the media in supporting athletes at the early stages of their careers. He urged media organisations to focus not only on established stars and medal winners but also on emerging talent.
“We do not want the media to arrive only when the medal has been won. We want you there when the journey begins,” he said.
The committee chairman said its performance should ultimately be assessed based on the tangible benefits delivered to athletes and sporting communities rather than the number of meetings held or documents produced.
“We should be judged not by the number of meetings we hold, but by the partnerships we build; not by the documents we produce, but by the resources we unlock,” Deen said.
The five-member committee will now begin its work as the NSA seeks to identify new funding opportunities, attract strategic partners and establish more sustainable mechanisms for financing the growth of sport in Ghana.
