Ghana’s Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has called for greater free movement across Africa as part of efforts to accelerate sports development and strengthen regional integration on the continent.
Speaking at the Basketball Africa League Investor Summit in Kigali, the minister stressed the need for African countries to create an enabling environment for sports growth by removing barriers to movement and promoting collaboration across borders.
The summit brought together key stakeholders from Africa’s sports and infrastructure sectors to explore ways of leveraging sports as a driver of economic growth and sustainable development.
Hon. Adams participated in a high-level panel discussion alongside Nelly Mukazayire, Gayton McKenzie, Adam Silver and Andreas Zagklis.
The discussions focused on investment opportunities in sports infrastructure and strategies to ensure long-term sustainability within the sports industry.
Referring to Ghana’s vision under the leadership of John Dramani Mahama, Hon. Adams stated that Africa must prioritise mobility across the continent to unlock greater opportunities in sports and economic development.
“Africa should be able to travel freely among its nations,” he said, adding that easing movement across borders would significantly benefit sports development and regional economic growth.
The minister also underscored the importance of investing in grassroots sports and youth development programmes to build a sustainable pipeline of talent.
“If we want to produce elite athletes, we must build a strong foundation,” he noted. “Ghana has established structures like the Grassroots Sports Secretariat and the School Sports Organisation to nurture young talent from an early age.”
Hon. Adams further called for stronger Public-Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks to attract investment into Africa’s sports sector, noting that government interventions alone would not be sufficient to drive growth.
“A clear and well-defined PPP structure is essential so investors know the proper channels to follow,” he explained.
He also urged African countries to reposition the continent as a hub for sports talent development rather than merely a market for athletes.
“Africa must be recognised as a production line for sports, not just a market for athletes. We need to create opportunities here for our athletes to develop and excel,” he added.
The event was attended by Paul Kagame, ministers from various countries, NBA executives, and current and former basketball stars, all united around a shared vision of using sports as a catalyst for economic and social transformation across Africa.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Joel Acheampong
