The lack of adequate and timely funding remains the biggest obstacle to sports development in Ghana, Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) President Richard Akpokavie has warned.
Speaking to delegates at the 2026 GOC Annual General Assembly, Akpokavie expressed grave concerns over the country’s financial preparations for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to take place in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2, 2026.
The event is set to feature over 3,000 athletes from 74 nations, marking the second time Glasgow will host the competition following its 2014 edition.
While expressing optimism about Ghana’s competitive potential, the GOC President stated that financial constraints continue to stall progress across multiple sports disciplines. He noted that national sports federations and athletes routinely face severe difficulties due to the delayed release of approved budgets, which severely disrupts preparation for major international tournaments.
“The greatest threat to sports development in Ghana remains funding. A time has come for us to speak candidly about the issue which threatens to undermine all the progress we have made. Budgetary allocation to sports remain inadequate and even approved funds are often released late or not at all,” Akpokavie said.
Although Parliament approved a GH₵12 million budget last year for Ghana’s Commonwealth Games campaign, the government has yet to release any part of the funds to the GOC, despite the tournament being just over two months away.
Akpokavie cautioned that these persistent delays threaten to derail the nation’s preparations and negatively impact the performance of Ghanaian athletes globally.
The GOC President’s remarks have renewed calls from sports stakeholders for increased and timely investment, which they argue is vital if Ghana is to consistently succeed on the global stage. As the countdown to Glasgow 2026 continues, focus shifts to whether the government will release the necessary funds to ensure Team Ghana is adequately prepared.