A one day National Conference on Sports Financing in Ghana organised by the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS) and held at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra, ended yesterday.

The Conference, under the sponsorship of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) and Coca Cola Bottling Company of Ghana, saw over two hundred participants attending the Conference, which was aimed at finding viable ways to ensure sustainable sponsorship and funding for all the Sporting disciplines in Ghana.

Addressing participants, the Minister, Hon. Mahama Ayariga called on the youth to take sporting activities very seriously to enable them develop their talents as well as stay healthy.

The Chairman for the occasion, Mr Ato Awhoi called for the other sporting disciplines to ride on the success story of football and take advantage of its huge marketing potential for their gain.

A Lecturer at GIMPA, Mr. Ali Nakyea Abdallah, Esq., speaking on Need for Legal regime For Sports Financing in Ghana: Matters Arising, called for the speedy passage and subsequent implementation of Sports laws and regulations.

A former Nigerian Football star and now Marketing Practitioner, Olusegun Odegbame, who spoke on Financing of Sports; Viable Options for Ghana called on Corporate Organisations to finance sports and reap immense benefits in the short to long term.

There were panel discussions on ‘Our Story: Sponsoring Sports in Ghana’ by Mr. Daniel McKorley, CEO, McDan, who spoke on Tennis; Dr Felix Kwabena Frempong, President of the Ghana Golf Association, who spoke on Golf; and Professor Francis Dodoo, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) who also spoke on Athletics.

Present were Hon. Vincent Oppong Asamoah, Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports; Mr. Joe Kpenge, Director-General of the National Sports Authority, and Mr John Barnes, former England star.

Source: MOYS P.R. Dept.