Kofi Adams: I’ll not disappoint Ghanaians

Hon. Kofi Adams, the Sports Minister-designate and Member of Parliament for the Buem Constituency, has vowed to meet expectations despite concerns about his sports background.

Leading up to the much-anticipated vetting which took place on Thursday, January 30, tensions and debates flared, yet Kofi Adams remained composed. The New Publisher report highlighted some significant insights from his vetting.

Addressing his nomination, Adams assured Ghanaians of his commitment, pledging, “I will not disappoint the President, Ghanaians, or myself; I will deliver.”

 “It is the case that some say I am not part of the sports fraternity, but the majority are very happy that I have been nominated,” he stated.

Although Kofi Adams faces a significant challenge in a ministry riddled with controversies, he has expressed confidence in his ability to tackle the responsibilities ahead.

Holding a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology, Adams has not been widely recognized for his involvement in sports. However, ahead of his nomination, he shared his passion for boxing.

While four years may seem long or short depending on one’s perspective, Adams’ commitment to his role is a positive starting point.

The decline of the Ghana Premier League has led many players to seek opportunities across Africa. Poor conditions, both on and off the field, have contributed to the league’s struggles. On the field, low salaries and poor conditions discourage players, while off-field issues, including inadequate infrastructure, hinder progress.

Adams promised to address these issues by introducing stipends to retain top talent in Ghana.

“We talked about giving them allowances so we can retain a number of our players. Some of them leave the shores of this country to play in war-torn countries just because their earnings are so low. The whole idea is to retain players by giving them stipends. We think it will go a long way to improve the league,” he said.

If implemented effectively, this strategy could curb the mass exodus of players seeking better opportunities abroad.

Over the past year, the National Sports Authority (NSA) has faced scrutiny for neglecting sports facilities in Ghana. This mismanagement peaked in October 2024 when CAF deemed none of Ghana’s stadiums fit to host FIFA-standard games.

The NSA should serve as a bridge between the Sports Ministry and various federations. Adams pledged to redefine its role.

“The challenge we have is the NSA, which is the bridge, sometimes it’s not allowed to interface and deal with the GFA (Ghana Football Association), especially when it comes to Black Stars funding. We intend to make sure to restrategize such that NSA plays the role it is supposed to play.”

The previous government, under the New Patriotic Party, initiated Astro Turf construction across the country to promote community sports. However, Adams pointed out that many of these facilities were substandard. He promised to assess and upgrade them to meet proper standards.

“I have some concerns about the astro turfs. Some of them, truly speaking, have not been constructed to standard. In one instance, it resulted in a very serious injury to the head of a player. So, we will look at them, the ones that are not standard, in order to avoid some of these injuries. Maybe we don’t use them for football, but we can use them for other sports and recreational activities.”

Kofi Adams aims to restore Ghana’s dominance in sports by adopting a reverse pyramid strategy to enhance grassroots sports development.

“We will improve grassroots sports, and we are going to go back to the Inter Colleges days because you need to catch them and train them from that point. You don’t let them mature to a certain stage before you start investing in them,” he said.

“We want the reverse of the pyramid and make sure that the pyramid stands with the base being larger and broader. Then, as it picks when it becomes commercially viable, you reduce investment,” he added.