Minister for Youth and Sports Engages the Press

By Doris Sodjah And Aliyah Bayali

As part of efforts to curb unemployment in the country, government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ecobank Ghana Ltd to engage 3,000 youth in Digital Marketing.

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr. Isaac Kwame Asiamah, announced this when he took his turn at the Meet-the-Press Series in Accra, yesterday.

Mr. Asiamah noted that, employment situation was a threat to security and democracy in the country, hence the need to empower the youth and employ their skills as well as talents to be involved in decision-making processes at all levels for a sustained growth of the economy.

He pledged government's unflinching commitment to improving the youth to enable them live meaningful lives and contribute to national development.

The Minister disclosed that government, in collaboration with the National Youth Authority, would soon begin the construction of multi-purpose Youth Resource Centers in all the ten regions in the country.

The Youth Resource Centers, he said, would have facilities such as, FIFA-standard football pitches, basketball, handball, tennis and volleyball courts to enhance youth and sports development.

The Youth and Sports Minister also disclosed that a 13-member committee had been formed to oversee the establishment of National Sports Fund to promote sports development in Ghana and to end the over-reliance on government sources for funding sports.

Meanwhile, Mr Asiamah said, government had approved an amount of eight million US dollars for the hosting of the 2018 African Women's Cup of Nations Tournament in November to December.

He said the funds would be applied, among others, for the rehabilitation of training pitches and works at the EL Wak Sports Stadium, Achimota School training pitch, University of Ghana Stadium and the Robert Mensah and Nduom Stadia in Cape Coast.

Touching on the Ghana Premier League, Mr. Asiamah said, the Ministry regretted the unfortunate delay in the start of the League, adding that it was actively involved in finding a lasting solution to the impasse between Accra Great Olympics and the Ghana Football Association.

He appealed to the Ghana Football Association, National Youth Authority, National Sports Authority, National Sports College and all other relevant sports federations in the country to establish a cordial working relationship with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to promote sports development.

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