The President of the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA), Shaibu Ibrahim Tanko, has called for urgent government intervention to address the association’s funding challenges, as efforts to secure sponsorship from private entities have not yielded results.
GUSA plays a critical role in promoting sports at the tertiary level, organizing competitive events such as the annual GUSA Games and nurturing young talent for national and international competitions.
Currently, the University of Cape Coast is hosting the ongoing GUSA Games which will end on 18th January 2025.
Speaking in an interview with Asempa FM, Tanko revealed that GUSA’s primary source of funding is the dues paid by various universities across the country.
However, the absence of external sponsorship has limited the association’s ability to expand its programs and enhance university sports in Ghana.
“Our funding is from the various universities. Every university pays dues to the Ghana University Sports Association (GUSA). We don’t have sponsors. We have been looking for sponsors for long, and we are not getting,” Tanko said.
He lamented the disparity in government support for university sports between Ghana and other African countries like Kenya and Uganda, where government institutions actively sponsor sports activities.
“We need government intervention. Countries like Kenya and Uganda have sponsorship from government institutions,” Tanko emphasized.
The call for support from GUSA highlights the need for greater investment in sports infrastructure and development, particularly at the grassroots and tertiary levels, to ensure Ghana remains competitive on the global stage.