From the Chinchinga regime, to the Brazil coconuts era…down to the crocodile tears that marked the end of the Tsooboi king, the mantle fell on another “useless” man whose appearance unto the scene seemed like a breath of fresh air, not too long and he was gone.
Then a retired army commander who went into exile after brief moments of mild threats from his own Queens. The kingdom moves on.
Once again, there’s has been a ministerial reshuffling, and as predictable as it is, there is a casualty from the Ministry of Youth and Sports. It is news, but obviously not the one that entrances any one. Has been coming all along.
Ghanaians woke up on Tuesday 19th January 2016 to news of President John Mahama’s ministerial reshuffle, and it would have appeared the biggest mystery of the last decade if the Sports minister was left unscathed.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has become a banana peel, the office becoming well known for welcoming new ministers, the regularity, akin to guests checking in at hotels.
Many a noble men- most, distinguishably illustrious politicians, are charged with the privilege of leading the highly inflammable office every year.
They pick up appointment letters beaming with confidence, they unlock the doors phlegmaticly and begin their tenures flamboyantly – but often, they exit the office looking dazed, feeling disgraced and eventually debased.
Dr Mustapha Ahmed, the sector Minister, who was appointed in March 2015, has been removed from office in the latest ministerial reshuffle and in his place, Hon Nii Lante Vanderpuije, MP for Odododiodio and a former deputy Local Government Minister.
Dr Mustapha Ahmed lasted ONLY 309 days can still take solace from the fact that he stayed an incredible SIXTY days more than his predecessor, Hon Mahama Ayariga, now heading the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology.
Those tenures, as documented durations for a cabinet minister supervising over such a critical sector of the economy might appear staggering, but there are worse more. Hon Muntaka Mubarak, the first under the NDC era, lasted 116 days in office- that is barely FOUR months.
Apparently, there is something wrong at that particular ministry – perhaps a planted voodoo, a poisonous seat or a forbidden fruit that when eaten, could strip naked, the most dignified man on earth.
It has become increasingly bewildering, and hugely alarming the frequency and rapidity with which sports ministers are changed over the years, and more shocking enough, no reasons are given and no one answers the whats for all the whys.
On record, between 2001 and 2008, Ghana has had as many as seven sports ministers — from Alhaji Mallam Issah, Rashid Bawa, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, Dominic Fobi, and Osei-Kwaku, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu both deceased, to Yaw-Osafo Marfo. All those, were ministers who served in the explosive office under the President Kuffuor’s 8-year NPP era.
And under the current NDC government ushered in on January 7th 2009 to date, the nation has seen Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Rashid Pelpuo, Akua Sena Dansua, Clement Humado, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Mahama Ayariga and now Mustapha Ahmed — bringing the total to 15, the number of Sports Ministers in the last 15 years.
The corn-grain list of highly revered men/women been brutalized out of that office frightening.
From my mathematically non-functional brain, I can establish that on average, a sports minister is changed every 365 days and no matter how positive your viewpoint on reshuffling, the trend is of supreme worry to the office in particular and the sports as a whole.
This system sends a devastating signal across board, because the traditional practice of changing heads of that minister like how a trotro driver changes his gear does not encourage development in that sector. We wonder the high rate of changes that occur at the ministry. The latest reshuffle has sent us scratching our heads for an answer, but it is impossible to get reason(s) for it.
It is a sad commentary that as a country, we are unable to appoint sports ministers for longer periods to enable them to implement long term policies for the development of youth and sports in the country.
Asides ET Mensah, none of the previous 14 appointees to the sports ministry in the last 15 years have been able to last for more than 2 years at the Ministry.
More often than not, the sports ministers are flushed out before they settle down to implement their mission and vision for the sector which, when accomplished, could place it in a better position than it is now.
It is not clear what might have triggered Mustapha Ahmed’s sacking but highly placed sources have hinted that the former Ayawaso North MP has been kicked out of government not because he failed to effect policies as a sports minister, but because he failed to retain his seat,thereby losing his grip on the constituency.
If this reason, which looks true than a lie is true, then the decision appears more a one for political gains than one for effective government and national development as expected.
Whatever the case might be, the President, the commander in chief of the armed forces, has the sole prerogative of appointing and sacking persons for offices he deems essential for the administration of this country. And by this, it is matter the government knows best how he must go about it.
But the general concern, is the alarming rate at which changes are being made in the sports ministry in particular whiles ministers at in separate ministries but of similar outlook like the sports ministry are left untouched. This, undoubtedly, hinder consistent planning and policy implementation by ministers.
The sports ministry no doubt, is a very important portfolio and plays a pivotal role in national development and, therefore, the least Ghanaians can request from government is for it to find the most suitable and qualified person to take charge of the place so that there can be stability for the sustainable development of youth and sports in the country.
Ghana sports is indeed, suffering and the frequent changes of personalities in that ministry is not helping matters.
If the whole changes at the sports ministry over the years, boils down to incompetence as it appears to be, then, the ideal solution would be to scrap the ministry, as its continues existence will be akin to a computer in the hands of my grandmother- useless is an understatement.
Hon Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, on hindsight, is the only amongst the lot to be appointed to that ministry with some rich background in sports.
A former aide to the late president John Atta Mills, Nii Lante had been an athlete in his youthful days, switching to boxing and then transforming that experience into sports journalism.
He is regarded as one of the best radio sports commentators of his era, having worked for the state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation for years.
Standing from afar, it is easier to foretell, from Honourable Lante’s experience how monumental his appointment could be to the general interest and benefit of the sickly ministry, but on hindsight, it is also more easier to predict his unfortunate end than the latter.
If his appointment was made for the good of it, we can only wish him well, but if it is for the other, we reserve a prayer for him.
He knows. He is well aware of the task ahead of him and as radical as he is, we all must brace ourselves for a new era in that hell of a ministry.
Nonetheless, his future rests on how the Flagstaff House bigwigs measure him politically, and his destiny hangs on the crucial November 2016 elections.
Foresting his future from both angles, his tenure might be shorter than most of his precursors. But no matter how short he stays, it is within his great might to stand the tallest amongst all, or he leaves with an image bruised and battered than them all
By Saddick Adams
Twitter @Saddickadams1
FEATURE: Ghana"s Sports Ministry—The Forbidden Office
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