Edem Segbefia Touts Mahama Sports Revival Blueprint
Aspiring National Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Dr. Edem Segbefia, has hailed President John Dramani Mahama’s sport and recreation reforms as a decisive intervention to rescue a sector he described as moribund before January Two Thousand Twenty-Five. The remarks came during an engagement with NDC grassroots in the Upper West Region.
Dr. Segbefia said the incoming administration inherited dilapidated stadia, uneven AstroTurf coverage, unpaid grassroots footballers, and a fractured talent pipeline. He argued that underfunding, weak maintenance, and absence of accountability stifled athletes and left regions outside Accra and Kumasi marginalized. “That is what the NPP left behind since leaving power,” he stated.
According to Dr. Segbefia, government has commenced emergency refurbishment of national stadia in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast, and Sekondi to meet FIFA specifications, and has cut sod for a state-of-the-art AstroTurf complex at GHANASCO in Tamale. The facility includes a synthetic pitch, running tracks, floodlights, spectator stands, and ancillary courts. The administration has also pledged modern stadiums in the six newer regions and the completion of youth resource centers nationwide.
The reforms extend to governance and grassroots restructuring. A School Sports Authority has been announced to coordinate inter-school competitions and talent identification, while salary support for Colts, Division One, Two, and Premier League players is being augmented. Budgets for national teams are being disclosed publicly, and the University of Education, Winneba sports college is being upgraded into a sports university with medicine, science, and management tracks.
Dr. Segbefia framed the program as an economic and mobilization instrument. Construction of pitches and sports centers is creating jobs for masons, electricians, and security personnel, while local leagues generate modest revenue and community cohesion. He urged youth wings to organize “NDC Unity Games,” partner with MPs and MMDCEs on tournaments, and link identified talent to regional coaches.
The political stakes are clear. If modern pitches become operational in Upper West and school competitions deliver pathways to national selection, the NDC can convert infrastructure into visibility, trust, and electoral capital.
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Author: Korkor Anumu
