Former Minister for Sports and Recreation Hon. Mustapha Ussif, has taken a firm stand to protect Ghanaian athletes from bearing a direct financial burden for the nation’s sporting future. While strongly championing the creation of a dedicated National Sports Fund, a bill he helped draft, the Minister has publicly objected to a specific proposal within it, the taxation or levying of athletes’ earnings to finance it.
The proposed fund is a central part of the government’s strategy to build a more sustainable sports ecosystem. Hon. Ussif presented the vision as a necessary shift away from total dependence on yearly government budgets. He argued that a dedicated, well managed fund is the key to unlocking consistent development, from grassroots programs to supporting national teams on the international stage.
His conviction was shaped by international best practices. Following a study trip to Morocco, a country noted for its strong sporting infrastructure, Hon. Ussif observed a critical principle. Successful sports funds, he reported, are financed through broad based institutional support and diversified revenue streams not by drawing directly from the pockets of the athletes they are meant to nurture.
“Our athletes dedicate their lives, make immense personal sacrifices, and pour their hearts into representing Ghana,” Hon. Ussif stated. “The very purpose of this fund is to support them, to build the system around them. It should be a source of empowerment, not an additional penalty on their hard earned success.”
The member of Parliament clarified that his objection is not to the fund itself, which he describes as essential, but to this particular funding mechanism. He has called for the bill to move swiftly through the legislative process, but with crucial amendments to remove any clauses that would impose levies on athletes.
He urged stakeholders and legislators to focus on creating a fair and sustainable model that finances the fund through broader means, ensuring that Ghana’s sports heroes are supported, not taxed, on their journey to glory.