President John Dramani Mahama has called on Corporate Ghana to view sports funding as a partnership in national development rather than charity, following the establishment of the Ghana Sports Fund.
The President made this appeal on Monday at the Presidential Dialogue with the Private Sector in Accra, explaining that government has created the framework but needs the private sector to help build sustainable systems.
“I invite Corporate Ghana to view this not as charity but as a partnership in national development. Government has created the framework, let us build the systems,” President Mahama stated.
He explained that the Ghana Sports Fund will finance grassroots development, school sports, athlete welfare, infrastructure modernization, and long-term talent pathways.
The President noted that no country achieves sporting excellence without deliberate funding systems, stressing the need for transparent and sustainable financing structures.
President Mahama stated that sports today is fundamentally economic, influencing global markets, tourism, media rights, youth employment, the creative industry, and investment flows.
He emphasized that Ghana’s preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Commonwealth Games, and Summer Youth Olympics positions the country before global audiences and investors in ways that few sectors can achieve.
The President disclosed that the Black Stars is preparing for its FIFA World Cup appearance while the Black Wings heads into continental competition with renewed credibility.
“In 2026, Ghana stands at the centre of several global platforms. These moments position Ghana before global audiences and investors in ways that few sectors can do,” President Mahama said.
He explained that the Ghana Sports Fund represents a transparent financing framework that will ensure resources are allocated accountably across various areas of sports development.
Grassroots development will receive funding to identify and nurture talent from the community level, ensuring sporting excellence is built on a strong foundation.
President Mahama announced that school sports programmes will be supported to integrate athletics and games into educational institutions, providing young people with opportunities to develop skills and pursue sporting careers.
Athlete welfare will be prioritized under the fund, ensuring that sportsmen and women receive adequate support throughout their careers.
The President stated that infrastructure modernization will address the need for quality facilities where athletes can train and compete at international standards.
Long-term talent pathways will be established to ensure continuity in developing athletes from grassroots level through to elite competition.
President Mahama emphasized that the corporate sector’s participation is essential to building systems that will transform Ghana’s sports sector beyond individual events.
He noted that sports provides economic opportunities across multiple sectors, creating employment, business development, and international visibility that benefit the entire economy.
The President called on businesses to see their involvement in sports funding as an investment in youth development, national pride, and economic growth rather than corporate social responsibility.
The establishment of the Ghana Sports Fund forms part of the government’s agenda to reform sectors that have both social and economic value, ensuring that investments deliver returns for national development.
President Mahama stated that government’s role is to create enabling frameworks while the private sector provides the resources and expertise to make these frameworks operational and sustainable.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
