Samuel Takyi: Sports Ministry says money promised by Akufo-Addo is an investment

The boxer has been in the news recently after demanding that the full $20,000 be paid before he joins Ghana’s boxing team for the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers.

Takyi secured bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, entering the history books after ending Ghana’s 29-year wait for an Olympic medal.

For his reward, he was given a car and $30,000 by President Akufo-Addo – he received $10,000 in cash while $20,000 was to go into his career development fund.

Two years on, it has now emerged that the boxer is demanding that the remaining $20,000 be paid to him before he competes in the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers.

However, reacting to this, the Sports Ministry said $10,000 out of the $20,000 has already been paid to the boxer, with the remaining $10,000 meant for his personal development.

“This implies that out of the $20,000.00 meant for his personal development, a balance of $10,000 is now payable to him when he presents a good personal development plan,” a statement from the Ministry said.

“This approach for disbursement will not only secure Mr. Takyi's future as a promising athlete but will also serve as a valuable precedent for the responsible allocation of resources to support the development of young talents in various sporting disciplines. Our commitment to nurturing and empowering our athletes remains unwavering.”

The Sports Ministry further emphasised that the $10,000 balance will not be released for any purpose other than what it’s intended for and cited the challenges faced by athletes who lack long-term support.

“We firmly believe in the potential of our sports heroes, and we are committed to providing them with the necessary support and resources to excel. It's important to remember that this fund will not be released for any other purpose aside from what it was intended for.

“It's worth noting that many heroes in our society today face challenging circumstances because they never had the opportunity for such structured and long-term support. We aim to provide Mr. Takyi with the best possible foundation for a successful boxing career, and we look forward to witnessing his continued achievements on the international stage,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s boxing team, the Black Bombers, have been preparing ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal.