Ghana’s Parliament has approved a budget allocation of GH¢65,899,456 for the Ministry of Sports and Recreation for the 2025 fiscal year, ending December 31.
While the approval marks a significant investment in sports development, it has also sparked concerns among lawmakers over the absence of a dedicated allocation for maintaining the country’s sports infrastructure.
Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, noted that the Accra Sports Stadium is scheduled to undergo renovation after Ghana’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Chad. However, several MPs emphasized the need for a more structured approach to infrastructure upkeep.
Dominic Nitiwul, MP for Bimbilla, stressed the importance of increasing funding for the Ministry, cautioning against relying solely on decisions from the Finance Minister or the President.
“We cannot leave it to the discretion of the Finance Minister or the President to say we will do it,” he argued, urging leadership to reallocate resources to support capital expenditure in the sports sector.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh, MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, echoed these sentiments, calling for a dedicated budget line for maintenance. He highlighted the substantial investments already made in sports infrastructure, warning that without proper maintenance, those investments could go to waste.
Though the GH¢65.9 million allocation is a step forward, the debate in Parliament has brought attention to broader concerns about sustainability and long-term planning in Ghana’s sports development agenda.
Stadia across the country are said to be in bad condition. With the absence of dedicated funds for maintenance, it is argued that this could put newly built and renovated facilities at risk, especially those used for the African Games.
‘Sports people’ have stressed the importance of securing capital funding to sustain these facilities.
