Sports Ministry Is Broke - Nii Lantey

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has said that the finances available at the Ministry is inadequate.

The Youth and Sports Ministry were given GHc 22m for the year 2016 by the Parliament of Ghana.

But Hon. Vanderpuije says this money is not enough to meet the demands of all sectors under it.

“The Sports Ministry is broke. I am saying this because tomorrow (in future) someone will come and accuse me of not saying it as it is when I assumed office so you may think that I am giving excuses,” the former sports broadcaster/journalist said in a meeting with the Sports Writers Association of Ghana.

“I need the support of the media in order to let people appreciate these difficulties. The total budget of the ministry is GHc 22m, but out of that, GHc 11m is for compensation –  salaries of workers not only at the Ministries, but all the agencies under us  – the Sports College, the Youth sectors and the National Sports Authority.

“GHc 4m is for goods and services,  so what is left to undertake all sports programmes for the year is only GHc 7m.

“The budget for all national teams alone is about GHc 42m. We will need about GHc 26m for our Olympics team to be able to go to Rio. How do we manage?” He quizzed.

Nii Lantey said it will require prudence and ingenuity to be able to meet the requirements of all the sporting associations in the country.

Sports Ministry Is Broke - Nii Lantey

Weightlifting Federation Optimistic Of Securing Sponsorship - Nunoo Mensah

The Ghana weightlifting federation president, Ben Nunoo Mensah is optimistic the Federation will secure sponsorship deals to finance their planned projects this year.

The Federation has extended letters to corporate bodies to come on board, and Nunoo Mensah is optimistic one the companies contacted will extend a helping hand to the body.

“We’ve sent letters to a few corporate sponsors who have shown interest in supporting and helping us develop the game,” Ben Nunoo Mensah told sportscrusader.com

He confirmed that GN Bank, Indomie, Royal Bank and Tano are the corporate bodies they’ve sent letters to.

“We are talking to Tano, we are also speaking to Royal Bank, we’ve been speaking to Indomie, we’ve been speaking to GN Bank.

“Hopefully two or three of these corporate institutions will come on board.” He said.

He added that Indomie Royal Bank may choose to sponsor the junior teams.

“Indomie and Royal Bank may want to take up our youth development which is the U-13 and that’s a good programme because we’re hoping that these young boys and girls especially these community based…and in about 5-years  we can get Africa champions.

“So once we get a sponsor for that, the other challenge will be the national team.”  He said.

Weightlifting Federation Optimistic Of Securing Sponsorship - Nunoo Mensah

Weightlifting Federation Won"t Seek Funding Form Gov"t - Nunoo Mensah

The president of the Weightlifting Federation of Ghana has said that the the body won’t seek funding from government in 2016.

Funding has been a canker affecting the development of lesser known sports in Ghana.

But Ben Nunoo Mensah says his administration has deviced strategies not go to the sports ministry for funds for their activities.

“The committees have been put together. Is left for us to start working and making sure we that we make a difference the lives of these young boys and girls.

“On our last board meeting before 2015 ended, we took a decision that in 2016, we are not going to the ministry or government for any funding for our activities.

“So right from the beginning the year, we’ve sent letter to a few corporate sponsors who have shown interest in supporting and helping us develop the game. We are talking to Tano, we are also speaking to Royal Bank, we’ve been speaking to Indomie, we’ve been speaking to GN Bank.

“Hopefully two or three of these corporate institutions will come on board. Indomie and Royal Bank want to take up our youth development which is the U-13 and that’s a good programme because we’re hoping that these young boys and girls especially these community based…and in about 5-years  we can get Africa champions.

“So once we get a sponsor for that, the other challenge will be the national team.” He added.

 

Weightlifting Federation Won"t Seek Funding Form Gov"t - Nunoo Mensah

Weightlifting Federation Expects World Champions In 2016 - Nunoo Mensah

President of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation, Ben Nunoo Mensah is optimistic 2016 is the year they will produce world champions.

The Federation set up a four year development plan, and a committee was set up to oversee the success of the plan.

Ben Nunoo Mensah who was elected president of the Federation in 2013 is certain the plan has yielded edible fruits and they expect world champions this year.

“As per for our four-year development plan 2016 should be a year we should be producing world champions,” Ben Nunoo Mensah told sportscrusader.com

He added: “So we are hopping that some body like Christian Aboa, Ruth Baffoe and may be Abidal Obodai should be winning Africa youth medals as per our four-year development plans.

“Those committees have always been there…they are part of our constitution but just that we haven’t put pen on paper on those who will make up that committee. We need influential people like that to push the game and promote the game. So it is a statutory requirement.

Mr. Nunoo Mensah wants people who have the love for the development of the game to make up the committee.

“Talking about the composition of the membership we’re trying to involve the people that have shown the love to develop the game. We had journalists and people outside journalism who have shown support to work with us.

“What we’re doing at Ghana weightlifting is to impact on the life of the youth so if you can bring people who are a bit influential in society, and then they can influence the development of the youth of the society, why not? So we got all these people who wanted to help and they are on board.” He said.

Weightlifting Federation Expects World Champions In 2016 - Nunoo Mensah