Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo and Ranking Member of Parliament’s Select Committee on Sports, delivered an endorsement remarks on the floor of Ghana’s Parliament during the debate on the Ghana Sports Fund Bill.
His comments, made on December 18, 2025, directly contributed to the momentum that led to the bill’s successful passage late Thursday, marking a significant bipartisan achievement in addressing longstanding financial constraints in Ghanaian sports.
Assafuah, a member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), underscored the broader systemic funding crisis in the sector, using the Ghana Premier League as a prime example of how inadequate resources have eroded its competitiveness and appeal.
He argued that the league’s declining attractiveness—not only domestically but across Africa—stems from chronic underinvestment, which has demoralized players, limited infrastructure improvements, and deterred sponsorships and fan engagement.
This lack of morale-boosting funding, he stressed, has left the league struggling to retain talent and maintain high standards compared to better-resourced counterparts on the continent.
The urgency Assafuah emphasized for the Sports Fund Bill proved timely, as the legislation was approved shortly after the debate concluded its consideration stage.
The newly passed Ghana Sports Fund establishes a dedicated, sustainable financing mechanism expected to generate billions of Ghana Cedis annually through diverse sources, including government appropriations, sports betting taxes, lotteries, sponsorships, grants, and donations.
Overseen by an independent board with robust accountability measures, the fund aims to support athlete development, infrastructure upgrades, and various sporting disciplines, aligning with the national sports policy to elevate Ghana’s performance in regional and international competitions.
This development represents a potential turning point for issues like those in the Premier League, where past challenges—such as broadcast rights disputes and unpaid debts to former partners—have compounded funding shortages.
With the fund now in place as of December 19, 2025, stakeholders anticipate it will provide the reliable resources needed to revitalize domestic sports and restore vibrancy to flagship competitions like the Ghana Premier League.