We Will Manage Cape Coast Stadium - Nii Lante Vanderpuye

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuye has promised to ensure that the Cape Coast Stadium is well maintained.

Ghana’s national stadia in Accra, Kumasi Tamale and Essipong, which were constructed for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, have been left to deteriorate.

President John Dramani Mahama, who commissioned the Cape Coast multipurpose edifice on Tuesday, charged the Sports Ministry and the National Sports Authority not to allow the facility deteriorate.

And Nii Lante, has promised to ensure that the facility is well catered for.

“I know Ghanaians will be worried this day when we are commissioning this stadium because of the way the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the National Sports Authority have allowed the earlier ones in Kumasi, Accra, Essipong, and Tamale to deteriorate.

“I stand here today to assure the whole country and in doing so, we are not only going to manage this facility well, but we will fix all the others that have gone bad,” he said.

We Will Manage Cape Coast Stadium - Nii Lante Vanderpuye

Photos: IPPR Hands Over Cape Coast Stadium

China IPPR International, contractors of the Cape Coast sports stadium, officially handed over the edifice to the Sports Ministry on Friday.

The multi-purpose edifice which was completed last year, will be commissioned on May 3 after officials handed keys and other documents to the Sports Minister, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije at the  Sports Ministry.

The 15,000 capacity multi-million edifice has 22-room hostel facility, a canteen, kitchen, firefighting room, storage room and many others. 

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The stadium is also a multi-purpose one with two basketball fields, a hand ball court, a tennis court and an indoor facility that can be used to host indoor games.

Photos: IPPR Hands Over Cape Coast Stadium

GFA To Meet Sports Minister

Some members of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) will meet the Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije today to discuss various issues bothering.

Members of the football governing body, were denied bonuses after Black Stars victory over Mozambique last week.

The meeting is expected to find solutions to some of the disagreements over certain policies and directives since the new minister took over at the ministry.

It would be recalled that the Sports Minister told management of the senior national team to convince him to pay them bonuses after the victory over Mozambique.

Some officials wants the Executive Committee members of the association to respect the sports minister’s decision, but others will meet and explained why they deserve they deserve bonuses.

GFA To Meet Sports Minister

Sports Minister Brands Ghanasoccernet.com An Anti-football Development Site

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has branded Ghanaian sports website, Ghanasoccernet.com an anti-football development site.

Ghanasoccernet.com, is a website much noted for criticizing heads of the various associations in football.

According to Hon. Vanderpuije, the website, owned by Communication Director of the Ghana Football Association, Ibrahim Saani Daara, is an anti-football development website.

The former sports broadcaster alleged that since he was appointed Sports Minister to replace Dr. Mustapha Ahmed in February, writers have written articles in an attempt to break him down, but he has promised them that the articles will only make him stronger and that he will respond to them at the appropriate time.

“Who owns Ghanasoccernet or whatever their name is?” Mr Vanderpuije quizzed in an interview with Accra-based radio station, Happy FM.

“Do they want the best for Ghana football? Since the time I was appointed until the time the Black Stars played Mozambique, they have written articles and features about me,” he said.

“They think writing such articles and features will break me down. I can also write, I can talk… all the things they are doing, I can do same and even better so their write ups can not break me and can never break me. It will rather make me stronger,” he boosted.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuje Said he won’t run away from any fight and promised to give them a response at the appropriate.

“I don’t run away from fights, they should continue with whatever they are doing,” he promised.

“But they can only do that at Ghanasoccernet. I will give them a response at the appropriate time. My response will be on a much bigger platform,” he stated.

Sports Minister Brands Ghanasoccernet.com An Anti-football Development Site

I Will Not Determine Bonuse For National Teams -Sports Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije says he will not interfere with issues of bonuses for sports federations in the country.

The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation sports commentator said the ministry is cash-trapped and federations under the sector must engage with corporate bodies for sponsorship to supplement whatever the ministry will give them.

“I have for the past being saying that I don’t and I will not determine issues of bonuses for sports in this country; I am referring to only footballers, the boxers will have to get bonus, the Black Maidens, the people who are competing in the Judo and everyone will have to get bonuses.

“Every sector deserve bonuses, if we don’t have the money, what do we do? So my policy is that we say it as it is; all of us must sit down as a family, discuss it with all the sports federations and ask ourselves how we can share what we have,” Nii Lantey told SWAG members last Monday.

“If federation will need more than what is given to them, then they have to go looking for the money from corporate sponsorship and other activities to support.

“We cannot tell which sporting discipline will be giving Ghana gold at the Olympics. It could be swimming, judo, it could even happen that our 100m runner goes to the Olympics and all the favourites gets muscle pull and he wins the gold.

“So it should not be within our power to determine which sporting discipline should should supported and which one should not be supported.” He said.

I Will Not Determine Bonuse For National Teams -Sports Minister

Parliament Must Fix Bonuses For National Teams - Sports Minister

Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, the Minister of Youth and Sports, wants the parliament of Ghana to fix a specific amount as bonuses for players of the national team.

According to Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, the current mode of bonus payment is senseless and he intends to have an open discussion with sports federation.

“I would want us to sit down and give them the reality on the ground and then we can all decide what is fitting, what is noble and what is sustainable,” Vanderpuye said a meeting with the Sports Writers’ Association of Ghana.

“I don’t think it’s right, you pay $10,000 at the World cup then you pay $10,000 at African Cup qualifiers series, $10,000 in World Cup qualifying series.”

He added: “It doesn’t make sense, it is never done anywhere, I have never heard it anywhere and if you consider the fact that the whole World, Ghana is paying one of the highest bonuses not even England, Germany, even America. I don’t want us to go to a level whereby Ghana will go the Nigeria way, where bonus of the national team will be sent to the parliament to fix.

“I want to give respect to the national team players, majority of them are my children, some of them are my friends, some of them I nurtured. I want to talk to them like a father. I am sure that they will appreciate our condition.” he stated.

Parliament Must Fix Bonuses For National Teams - Sports Minister

Sports Minister Praises PLB And GFA

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has praised organisers of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) for a good job done so far.

The 2015/16 domestic top-flight club competition began late last month with boom, and the Sports Minister is excited the league which lost its patronage within the last five years, is back with high spirit.

And he praised the organisers, the Premier League Board (PLB) and Ghana Football Association (GFA), for the enormous work done to wow football fans to fill the stands at the various venues.

“I thank God that a new spirit has entered our local league and I want to commend the PLB and the GFA for the good work done,” the former sports broadcaster told the media.

Sports Minister Praises PLB And GFA

Ghana"s Contingent To Rio Will Need GHc 26M - Nii Lantey

Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has revealed that Ghana’s contingent to this year’s Rio Olympics will need about GHc 26 million for the trip.

The Sports Ministry according to the minister, have only GHC 7 million for all sports federations for the year after breaking down the amount approved for the sector by the government of Ghana.

Laying bare the challenges at the Sports Ministry, Hon. Vanderpuije called on the media to support and avoid negative publicity about sports in the country to help attract corporate sponsors.

“We will need about GHc 26 million for our Olympics team to be able to go to Rio. How do we manage?, he asked.

“It will call for prudence,  it will call for ingenuity, it will call for support, and you (journalists) are the ones who can do this for us. We want to seek for your support to get the corporate bodies out there to come to our aid,” he added.

The former broadcast-journalist noted, “the budget is not only for sports, it is for Youth and Sports so if we take out the ones for our youth training sectors for the programmes at the National Sports Authority, just about GHc 4 million will be left”.

“The Black Maidens and the upcoming Black Stars match against Mozambique will drop all the GHc 4m; I am being frank with you,” he said.

Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije also added that he won’t interfere with issues of bonuses. He wants to organise an open forum for all heads of the various federations and explain issues to them.

“I have for the past been saying that I don’t and I will not determine issues of bonuses for sports in this country; I am referring to only sports for men and women, the boxers will have to get bonus, the Black Maidens, the people who are competing in the Judo and everyone will have to get bonuses,” he made known.

“Every sector deserve bonuses, if we don’t have the money, what do we do? So my policy is that we say it as it is; all of us must sit down as a family, discuss it with all the sports federations and ask ourselves how we can share what we have,” he stated.

Ghana"s Contingent To Rio Will Need GHc 26M - Nii Lantey

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

Black Stars Will Be Paid In Cedis - Sports Minister

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije says he will insist the Black Stars are paid winning bonuses in local currency.

The winning bonuses of the national team is always paid in hard currency,  but Nii Lantey Vanderpuije says that, he will ensure the outstanding winning bonuses of the Black Stars game against Comoros will be paid in cedis.

He explained that even the president of the country, His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama is not paid in foreign currency.

In an interview with Kumasi-based Nhyira FM, the former boxing promoter said: “Yes I have directed that the bonuses of the Black Stars should be paid in local currency into the individual accounts of the players.

“No player will be receiving bonus in dollars anymore. That is not our currency.” Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, who succeeded Mustapha Ahmed last month as the Youth and Sports Minister said.

“We are aware that where the players play, they are not given cash money as their salaries or bonuses. It is paid into their accounts so we will also do that.

“We will pay the dollar equivalent of the amount agreed upon as their bonus into their accounts. No dollars again,” he added.

 

Black Stars Will Be Paid In Cedis - Sports Minister

GFA Not Made Up Of Monsters - Sports Minister

Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has said that the people leading Ghana football at the FA are not monsters.

The Ghana Football Association is alleged to be occupied by people who do not work in the interest of Ghana.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, a renowned football commentator and football administrator is believed to be a critic of the GFA and it is understood his reign as the sports minister would put much pressure on the football governing body of Ghana.

NIi Lantey Vanderpuye has publicly made it clear that he would ensure administration at the GFA are corrected to promote the development of football in the country and he would never compromise on that.

“I am one person who will not call the people at the GFA monsters,” the former  GBC sports broadcaster told Happy FM.

“I know they are patriotic citizens who also want to contribute their quota. When I start my job, I know certain things that are not all that well at the GFA, so I will sit down with them in a friendly manner and thrash them out.

“However, if they insist on continuing with them then I would have no other option than to stamp on my authority, because I have been given the power to run sports in Ghana by Ghanaians, hence I would do what they want.” He stated.

GFA Not Made Up Of Monsters - Sports Minister

Colts Football Is Not Dead - Saani Daara

Communication Director of the Ghana Football Association, Ibrahim Saani Daara has rubbished Minister designate for Youth and Sports, Nii Lante Vanderpuije claims that colts football inn the country is dead.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuije pledged to resurrect grassroots football through the local assemblies and the effective use of the sports college in Winneba.

“All is not well with our football at the moment. Colts football is dead and we must make reforms, if we can, to change things.”

“The local authorities can help in grooming talents through the schools in the districts. Unfortunately, the absence of resources has caused a reduction in the amount of help that can be given.”

“We should also note that the Winneba Sports College is still producing talents. A player like Samuel Inkoom was trained there and the school is still churning out stars,”  the former sports journalist and boxing promoter told the parliamentary vetting committee.

But Ibrahim Saani Daarasays it is ‘farfetched’ to say grassroots football is dead.

“Grassroots football is not dead. The colts system had taken a new dimension,” Saani Daara told Happy FM.

“Gone are the days when players were unearthed from the schools and others, now, football academies has taken over and feeding our national teams talents.

“Right to Dreams academy and Dreams FC has provided players directly into the national team that even colts football never did.

“So for him (Nii LanteyVanderpuije) to have said that colts football is dead is farfetched.”he said.

Colts Football Is Not Dead - Saani Daara

Nothing Is Working At S. Ministry -Hon Asiamah Warns Nii Lantey

Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua constituency, in the Ashanti retion, Hon. Isaac Asiamah has warned the minister designate for sports, Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuye he is going into an office where nothing seems to be working.

The Sports Ministry has a history of consistent reshuffling and Isaac Asiamah believes Nii Lantey will not survive at the ministry because he will not do anything different from what his predecessors have done which were saddle with bribery and corruption.

“Nii Lantey Vanderpuye will certainly fail as sports minister because he belongs to the same team of incompetence,” He told Happy FM.

“I don’t see any good thing coming out of his appointment especially when he has little time on his side to work effectively.

“He is coming to work in a system where nothing seems to be working, and also saddled with bribery and corruption.” he alleged.

Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, a former amateur boxer, footballer and a sports broadcater, was recently vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament and is awaiting final approval to commence his new role.

Nothing Is Working At S. Ministry -Hon Asiamah Warns Nii Lantey

Mafias At Sports Ministry Has Not Met Me - Vanderpuije

Sports Minister-designate Nii Lantey Vanderpuije has said that supposed mafia at the sports ministry has not met Nii Lantey Vanderpuije.

The sports ministry has over the years seen a massive reshuffle with many  believe there are unseen operators working against ministers to succeed.

Under the current NDC government, there have been seven ministers who have already served at the ministry, the most recent being Dr. Mustapha Ahmed.

And Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, a former journalist and boxing promoter, has promised to face the faceless mafia causing failure to people occupying the office of the country’s sports.

“If there is a mafia, I am ready to face that mafia head-on,” he said when he met the ministerial vetting committee on Monday.

Nii Lantey, a former deputy minister at the Local Government will become the 8th sports minister under the NDC era after series of reshuffles at the sector.

And he believes he will stay in the Ministry for a longer because the supposed mafias has not never Nii Lantey Vanderpuije.

“If there are actually mafias at the ministry, the truth of the matter is that they’ve not met Nii Lantey Vanderpuije.

“I will at the Sports Ministry be the sports minister.”

The former GBC sports broadcaster and the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodio Constituency is the 14th politician appointed to head the Sports Ministry in the last 15 years.

Mafias At Sports Ministry Has Not Met Me - Vanderpuije