Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to rejuvenate the sport of boxing in Ghana if he wins the 2024 General Elections.
Mahama made this commitment known during a Town Hall Meeting with Ghanaian youth at the Trust Sports Emporium, also known as the Bukom Boxing Arena, in honour of International Youth Day on Monday.
Ghana recently failed to qualify a boxer for the Paris Olympic Games, marking the first time in over 20 years that the country has not been represented in boxing at the Olympics.
Mahama emphasized that the Bukom Boxing Arena would serve as a hub for discovering and nurturing boxing talent from across the nation.
“This arena is not just this over; it is a complex. There’s a gym, a hostel, a restaurant, and a school. So even when the young people are training as boxers, they can attend classes and not miss school.
He further added that the original plan was for the Ghana Boxing Association to scout for young talents across various regions using mobile boxing rings.
“The intention was that the Ghana Boxing Association would go around the regions with mobile boxing rings to identify young talents. When they found these young talents, they would pick them and bring them to the centre of excellence. That was the purpose. Unfortunately, it hasn’t realized its full potential.
“Nonetheless, it is something we still have in mind because we have talent all over the country,” he added.