Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has declared the inauguration of the Ghana Sports Fund Board as a defining moment in the country’s sporting history, insisting that the Fund is the product of “political will, clarity of purpose, and commitment to delivery.”

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Minister stressed that “this Fund did not emerge overnight,” explaining that its journey “spans several years, across different policy conversations and reform attempts.”

According to him, what ultimately made the difference was that “this time is political will, clarity of purpose, and commitment to delivery.”

He attributed that resolve to the leadership of President John Mahama, noting that under his administration, “government made a clear commitment that sport would no longer be treated as an afterthought in national development.”

Adams emphasised that the commitment “was not rhetorical. It was deliberate. It was backed by action.”

Mr Adams outlined the legislative journey of the Fund, revealing that “this journey began with a Cabinet Memorandum prepared by the Ministry, which received Cabinet approval and set the policy direction.”

He added that “Parliament subsequently passed the Sports Fund Bill, and with Presidential Assent, the Ghana Sports Fund was formally established under Act 1159,” describing the inauguration of the Board as “a clear demonstration that this John Mahama administration keeps faith with its promises.”

The Sports Minister said he was “proud of the role the Ministry has played in driving this process to completion,” noting that the reform “required consistency, patience, and resolve.”

Crucially, he said it also demanded “listening to the voices of athletes, federations, administrators, and stakeholders who have carried the burden of uncertainty for far too long.”

Declaring a turning point for Ghana sport, Mr Adams told the gathering: “Ladies and Gentlemen, today, we turn a page.”

He explained that the Ghana Sports Fund “is designed to change how sport is financed and how opportunity is distributed,” arguing that for decades, “funding for sport has been uneven, unpredictable, and often reactive.”

He lamented that “too many federations have operated from crisis to crisis,” while “too many athletes have prepared for major competitions without assurance,” and “too much talent has been lost, not because of lack of ability, but because of lack of support.”

“This Fund directly addresses those realities,” he said.

According to the Minister, “its purpose is simple but powerful: to mobilise and manage resources transparently for athlete development, grassroots sport, infrastructure, capacity building, and high-performance preparation.”

He added that the Fund “introduces planning where there was uncertainty, equity where there was imbalance, and accountability where there was discretion.”

Placing Ghana within a global context, Mr Adams observed that “around the world, countries that lead in sport have one thing in common: they invest deliberately.” He stressed that successful nations “do not rely on chance or goodwill” but instead “build institutions that fund sport consistently, protect athlete welfare, and support long-term development.”

“Ghana is now on that same journey,” he declared, adding that the Fund “places our country in a position to move from aspiration to performance and from participation to excellence.”

However, the Minister cautioned that “Fund alone does not transform sport. Leadership does. Governance does. Discipline does,” explaining that this reality made the inauguration of the Governing Board critical.

Addressing members of the Board directly, he said: “You carry a significant national responsibility. You are being entrusted with public confidence, public resources, and the hopes of athletes across the country.”

He charged them to ensure that “your decisions must reflect fairness, transparency, and strategic thinking,” stressing that “this Fund must serve sport, not interests. It must reward performance, not proximity. It must invest in systems, not shortcuts.”

“The success of this Fund,” he warned, “will depend on your independence, your integrity, and your commitment to the principles on which it was established.”

While assuring that government “will provide policy backing and institutional support,” the Minister maintained that “governance must remain firm,” adding that “Ghanaians must be able to trust that resources allocated through this Fund are used wisely, fairly, and in the national interest.”

Mr Adams also challenged sports federations to adapt, declaring that “the era of informal planning and emergency appeals must give way to structured proposals, clear programmes, and measurable outcomes.”

He stressed that “athletes must be protected, supported, and held to high standards,” while “administrators must embrace transparency and professionalism.”

Painting a picture of what success would look like, he said: “If we get this right, the benefits will be felt across the country,” noting that “young people will see sport as a viable pathway, athletes will prepare with confidence, federations will plan with certainty, and infrastructure will be developed sustainably.”

“This is what Ghana sport has long waited for,” the Minister concluded. “Today, we move from longing to action.”

He commended all those involved in the reform process, thanking “policymakers and legislators” as well as “sports leaders and advocates who never stopped pushing for reform,” and expressed gratitude to President Mahama for his “unwavering commitment to seeing this process through.”

“As we inaugurate this Governing Board,” he said, “let us be guided by a shared understanding: this Fund belongs to Ghana sport, and its success will be measured by how well it serves athletes, communities, and the future.”

“We have taken an important step today,” Mr Adams added. “The responsibility now is to make it work. Together, we can build a sports system that is fair, resilient, and worthy of Ghana’s talent and ambition."