The Ministry of Sports and Recreation has held a day’s stakeholder engagement with the country’s heads of federations in Accra.

Chaired by the sector Minister, Honorable Kofi Iddi Adams, Monday’s meeting was also attended by Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, the Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and his counterpart from the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.

Honorable Kofi Adams, who gave the key note address in front of 47 heads of federations and selected state agencies, urged them to give meaning to the event, through their programs and policies.

Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams giving his keynote address

He stressed the importance of building federations on strong management principles, transparency, accountability and unity.

First to speak after the Minister, was NSA boss, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.

Speaking on the theme ‘‘re-engineering sports for sustainable national development’’, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah encouraged members of the various federations to end the culture of litigations.

NSA boss Yaw Ampofo Ankrah

‘‘Before any corporate institution will talk to you, they will first check you out. Take arm wrestling for example. What would they find?’’

''That it was set up by one man who has expanded it to Africa and has risen to become the head of the sport in Africa. He is also the vice president of World Arm Wrestling. This looks something I would pout my $1 million in.''

''But if it is negativity. For example if they are in court, if arm wrestling is being investigated for whatever, potential sponsors will back off,'' he said.

On his part, the newly elected president of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Richard Akpokavie also urged the Ministry to consider resource allocation to federations, based on performance.

GOC Vice President Charles Osei Asibey (middle) and Veronica Commey, Deputy Director General, NSA were in attendance

''Even in the advanced countries, it does not happen like that. Last year, UK Sports, which mainly funds sports federations in the UK, distributed resources to all the federations depending on past performances and programs for the next quadrennial.''

''What we want and we hope for, is that we have such a plan in place.''

Monday's exercise, according to the Minister, is the first of many stakeholder engagements to be organized by his outfit.