‘State wasting money on Black Stars’

Professor Emeritus Reginald Ocansey, a specialist in Physical Education, says too much state resources was being wasted on the Black Stars, describing “as misplaced priority” the huge monies spent on the team at this year’s World Cup, which has attracted a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Ghana’s disappointing campaign in Brazil.

According to Professor Ocasney who is also a consultant for the Ghana Education Service (GES), if some of the huge resources that were wasted on players and some officials had been channelled into the development of facilities, kit and equipment at local levels it would have inured greatly to the development of sports in the country.

Prof Ocansey made his comments on what he saw as a disproportionate allocation of the sports budget while answering questions from journalists on the lack of funding for sports activities at forum on Physical Education and Sports Policy.

The forum, held at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, was organised by the GES for media practitioners in the Ashanti Region to sensitise the media practitioners to play advocacy role for the policy. 

The policy, among others, seeks to serve as an accountability index for physical activity instructors such as Physical Education teachers and sports coaches. It is also a process for identifying and developing talent at the basic school levels and serve as a call to action for physical activity and sports development nationwide.

Ghana also became the laughing stock of the world when the government was forced to fly to Brazil over $3 million in cash to be paid to the players as appearance fees, following agitations among the playing body over the late payment of their money. 

The unfolding drama of airlifting the money to the players became one of the most sensational stories of the World Cup.

Subsequently, President John Mahama set up a Commission of Inquiry into Ghana’s campaign, with the president of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi, testifying that more than 20 people, including some staff of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, benefited from $577,500 paid by the government originally as honorarium for seven management committee members of the team.