The Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Joseph Yammin has indicated that the much awaited new Sports Bill would be passed by Parliament before the end of the second quarter of 2014.

The Bill seeks to replace SMC Decree 54 of 1976 regarding the various aspects of Sports management, promotion and development in Ghana and seeks to make it current with international best practices.

Making this known at the closing ceremony of a two-day workshop for over thirty sports journalists, organised by the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Hon. Yammin stated that various inputs were being solicited from Consultants as well as in-house officials and that a national stakeholders conference would soon be held to rope in more contributions from the wider general public.

“Next year, the Ministry would send to Parliament, three bills, namely the GYEEDA Bill, the Youth Bill and the long-awaited Sports Bill” he said.

Hon. Yammin also called on the media to give me more airtime and space to highlighting the achievements of the ‘lesser-known sports’ rather than the over concentration on football alone.

The President of the GOC, Prof. Francis Dodoo called to the establishment of a Sports Fund, adding that a percentage of tobacco and alcohol could be taxed to ensure a regular and dedicated source of yearly funding for sports promotion and development.

Topics treated were Olympism and the Olympic Games by Mr. Peter Kpordugbe – GOC Honorary member; the Role of GOC in Sport Development in Ghana by Mr. Richard Akpokavie – Secretary-General of GOC; Media Coverage of Olympic Games, Issues of Accuracy, Fairness and Journalistic Ethics by Mr. Ken Bediako, a veteran Sports Journalist; and lastly, Funding and Sport in Ghana by Prof. Francis Dodoo.

Source: MOYS PR DEPT (Larry George Botchway)