Yaw Ampofo Ankrah
The president of the Ghana Beach Soccer Association (GBSA) Yaw Ampofo Ankrah has sent a message of congratulations to Youth and Sports Minister designate, Mr Isaac Asiamah.
In the short email, the beach soccer president has appealed to the Minister to be bold and make history by overseeing to the construction of the first ever beach soccer arena in Ghana.
Ampofo Ankrah made the remarks when he was asked about whether he preferred media work to sports administration.
Making a presentation at a Youth Motivation Camp in Cape Coast, GBSA president said beach soccer is one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
He then added that 2017 will be a good year and a perfect opportunity for the incoming sports minister to leave a legacy of building Ghana’s first beach soccer arena.
It will be recalled that the former youth and sports minister Mr. Clement Kofi Humado promised a beach soccer arena in Keta, in the Volta Region.
The Minister at the time even promised it would be replicated across the coastal belt such as Cape Coast, Sekondi and a site in the Western Region.
However, four years on, the promises are yet to see the light of day. Not a single standard beach soccer arena has been constructed.
What rather exists are make- shift structures put up by Beach Soccer Ghana with support from various partners and sponsors.
The broadcast journalist believes that it is time for beach soccer to be treated with the seriousness it deserves.
He cited how countries like Seychelles and Madagascar have allocated substantial funds towards the development of beach soccer in their respective countries.
“The most pressing is the construction of a few arenas along the coastal belt of this country,” said Yaw.
He indicated such a move would totally reshape the face of sports in Ghana.
“Can you imagine five or six beach soccer arenas spread across the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta region? We are talking about serious community engagement and employment through sports tourism, entertainment, culture and sanitation awareness.”
Funding remains a problem, however, with sole sponsors, CAL Bank, the league receives only ¢44,000 a season as a corporate social responsibility package.
Ampofo Ankrah prayed that more sponsors would come onboard with wider coverage and publicity as a lure.
He said a number of media and potential broadcast partners are considering the possibility of screening the 2017 league and beach soccer international matches.
From The Sports Desk
