The Ghana Sports Fund has announced plans to place strong emphasis on grassroots sports development, talent identification, and the provision of sporting infrastructure as part of efforts to build a sustainable sports ecosystem in Ghana.

Speaking during a media briefing in Kumasi, the Administrator of the Ghana Sports Fund, Dr David Kofi Wuaku, said the Fund’s long-term vision is to identify and nurture talented young athletes from the lowest levels of society through structured investment and support systems.

According to him, one of the key beneficiaries of the Fund will be grassroots sports programmes in schools and communities across the country.

He explained that the Fund intends to provide basic training equipment, support systems, and facilities for young athletes identified through schools, local competitions, and community sporting activities.

Dr Wuaku disclosed that the government’s commitment to grassroots sports development has led to the establishment of a dedicated office responsible for identifying talented young athletes across the country and coordinating support for their development.

He noted that the office would work closely with the Ghana Sports Fund in scouting talents, assessing developmental needs, and facilitating requests for support from schools, coaches, parents, and communities.

“We want every Ghanaian to become part of this process. If you identify a talented young person, you have every right to contact the Fund with videos, documents, and justification for support,” he stated.

The Administrator lamented the poor state of sports infrastructure in many educational institutions, describing some conditions as unsafe and unacceptable.

He recounted visiting a school where students participating in high jump activities used ordinary student mattresses as landing surfaces due to the lack of standard sporting equipment.

“How much does a proper landing mattress cost that we should risk the spines of our children on ordinary mattresses?” he questioned.

According to him, the Ghana Sports Fund intends to support schools and grassroots sports centres with essential equipment and infrastructure once adequate resources are mobilised.

Deputy Administrator Lawyer Simon Appiah Junior also revealed that officials of the Fund recently visited the National Sports Authority facilities in Kumasi, where they interacted with management and assessed some of the operational challenges facing sports infrastructure in the region.

He explained that the Fund intends to undertake regular monitoring visits to schools and sports centres across the country to understand the realities confronting athletes and sporting institutions.

Lawyer Appiah Junior emphasised that the Ghana Sports Fund would operate with transparency and accountability, ensuring that all projects and expenditures are properly monitored and documented.

He added that the Fund’s leadership remains committed to ensuring that sports development in Ghana moves beyond rhetoric into practical interventions capable of transforming lives and communities.