No New Sports Levy Approved, Says Government`

The government has strongly dismissed reports claiming that Cabinet has approved a new “Sports Levy” to finance the proposed National Sports Development Fund.

Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State in charge of Government Communications and Member of Parliament for Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, issued the clarification in a Facebook post on Friday, October 10. His statement sought to clear the air after days of public speculation about how the fund would be financed.

The confusion began after comments attributed to a member of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) suggested that a new levy would serve as the main source of money for the Sports Fund.

However, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu firmly denied the reports, saying, “For the avoidance of doubt, NO such Levy has been proposed and neither has same been approved by Cabinet.”

He explained that the government, under the leadership of the President, has only approved the legal framework for setting up the Sports Development Fund, not a new tax. “A proposed Bill was sent to Cabinet and approved for the establishment of a Sports Development Fund,” he said.

The Bill, which will soon be presented to Parliament, is expected to help solve Ghana’s long-standing challenges in funding sports. For years, national teams and athletes have struggled to access steady financial support, often relying on last-minute interventions before international competitions.

To address concerns about taxation, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu assured Ghanaians that the new fund will not depend on any additional levies. Instead, it will be financed through existing non-tax revenue sources within the sports and gaming sectors. He also shared a government document outlining the specific revenue channels that will feed the fund.

The government hopes to make the Sports Development Fund fully operational by the first quarter of 2026, after Parliament passes the Bill. Once launched, the fund is expected to provide reliable financing for grassroots sports, maintain national facilities such as the Accra Sports Stadium, and support key sporting disciplines including football, athletics and boxing.