At Jubilee House, British boxing sensation Anthony Joshua made a courtesy call to President John Dramani Mahama to talk about ways to improve Ghana’s sports industry.
The meeting was held on Monday, June 16 and was attended by Sharaf Mahama, the president’s son, Kofi Adams, the minister of youth and sports, and other sports authorities.
Participating in the Legacy Rise Sports-hosted boxing competition “Battle of the Beasts” in Accra, Anthony Joshua praised the friendly welcome he has experienced in Ghana.
He promised to utilize his international clout to assist in drawing capital to Ghana’s sports industry and to Africa in general.
“Sports has gotten me in a room like this, so I understand the importance of talking with my fists but also how influential sports can be and the type of rooms you can get into,” Joshua said.
“I’ve been calling friends and speaking about ways that we can bring investment into Ghana, Africa, because I understand some of your policies and what you’re trying to do. And from a sportsman’s perspective, I understand sports is short-lived, and we cross over into business,” he added.
In response, President Mahama praised the heavyweight fighter for his participation in the recent boxing tournament and for honoring the nation with his visit.
He bemoaned the deterioration of Ghana’s sporting facilities, blaming it on years of disregard.
The President used the Bukom Boxing Arena, which was built during his administration, as an illustration of an effort to bring sports development back to life.
“Unfortunately, over the years things have gone down, and that’s what we tried to revive. That’s why we set up the Bukom Boxing Arena. It’s actually an academy because it has hostels, classrooms, and all that,” President Mahama explained.
Although he acknowledged that the arena’s ambition had stopped after the January 2017 government change, he expressed optimism that his current administration will be able to breathe new life into the project.
He joked that he had thought the arena’s original 4,000-seat capacity was adequate, implying that he is now amenable to expanding it. “We have the opportunity to take it up again,” he remarked.
Source: newsthemegh.com