Ghana Sports Minister to African media, build sport, don’t break it

...Widen your lens beyond football, give emerging athletes a platform – Kofi Adams

...Weak systems, poor commercialisation, fragmented policy coordination the pest of African sports 

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye

 

Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has thrown down a challenge to African sports journalists, urging them to recognise their power as nation-builders and warning that careless reporting can damage entire sporting systems.

Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of the 8th AIPS Africa Congress in Banjul, the Gambian capital, Adams said journalism must drive the growth of sport on the continent, not weaken it through sensationalism or shallow narratives.

“When reporting lacks balance and depth, it discourages fans, scares sponsors, and weakens entire ecosystems,” he told delegates. “Journalism must remain a tool for development, not destruction.”

In a digital era dominated by speed and instant reactions, the Minister acknowledged the pressure on journalists to break news quickly. 

But he insisted that accuracy, context, and compelling storytelling must never be sacrificed for clicks.

Adams challenged the media to widen the lens beyond football, give emerging athletes a platform, and use new media responsibly to help build sustainable sports economies across Africa.

His message went beyond journalism to a broader critique of Africa’s sports development model. 

According to Adams, the continent’s struggles are not rooted in lack of talent, but in weak systems, poor commercialisation, and fragmented policy coordination.

The contrast is stark. While the global sports industry is valued at over $500 billion and contributes around two percent to GDP in developed economies, Africa’s sports economy is estimated at just $12–15 billion despite producing world-class athletes.

“We export talent cheaply, consume foreign sport expensively, and struggle to retain value at home,” Adams said.

He pointed to deliberate national strategies in Morocco, Senegal, Rwanda, and Tanzania, where sport has been linked to infrastructure development, tourism, and national branding, as examples of what is possible with focused planning.

Turning to Ghana, the Minister highlighted reforms aimed at stabilising and growing the domestic sports economy.

These include restoring free-to-air television coverage of the Ghana Premier League, increasing prize money for league champions to GHC 2 million, and operationalizing the Ghana Sports Fund under Act 1159.

Adams also announced that Ghana will host the 24th African Senior Athletics Championships and the 15th African Armwrestling Championships, inviting both participating nations and the media to help shape a new continental narrative around African sport.

He closed with a direct call to action for governments, institutions, and the media to dismantle mobility barriers, move beyond rhetoric to enforceable frameworks, invest in fan culture, and embrace diverse sporting disciplines.

“The opportunity is before us,” Adams said. “The responsibility is ours.”