Former Head of National Sports Authority (NSA), Mr. Prince Oduro-Mensah, is expected to replace the outgoing Director-General of the Authority, Mr. Joe Kpenge, to help champion the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) manifesto promises in sports.
Hon. Oduro-Mensah, the most-senior staff of the NSA, remains the indefatigable chap to bring back the Authority’s glorious days.
As a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Techiman South constituency, Mr. Oduro-Mensah joined the civil service as the first substantive NSA boss, after 20 years without a substantive CEO.
He justified his appointment with a total transformation of the NSA with just two years of being in office, until the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government reassigned him without portfolio at the Ministry of Youth & Sports.
The visionary leader implemented a well-structured strategic plan for the development and promotion of sports in the country and often organised a series of strategic workshops for its staff members, nationwide, after he had brought some professionalism in the Council’s approach to work.
The Oduro-Mensah-led administration ensured a tremendous improvement in the salary structure and other good conditions of service, thus moving salary payments from table-top at the Authority to the Controller & Accountant General’s Department.
When Mr. Oduro-Mensah took charge as the NSA boss, there were only three old vehicles at the Council’s pool, while the regional offices had none to function properly.
Against this backdrop, his administration acquired four-wheel drives and some buses for all, and further serviced the only three old vehicles which spent years at the fitting workshops.
He beefed up the NSA staff membership, with various professional in the field of Information Communication Technology (ICT), engineering, estate and marketing, among others who without doubts, masterminded the successful hosting of the 26th MTN Africa Cup of Nations (Ghana 2008).
As matters stand now, policy think tank group, IMANI Ghana has ranked National Sports Authority, as the least performing public sector institution in the country, and the onus lies on Mr. Oduro-Mensah to revive the NSA, particularly the dilapidated Ohene Djan, El-Wak and Swedru Sports Stadium, not forgetting the lack of working tools for staff.
Hon. Oduro-Mensah, during his four-year term in Parliament (2001-2004), was the vice chairman for the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports, and was one of the Members of Parliament who recorded a lot of development projects for their constituencies through the Kufuor-led government.
Mr. Oduro-Mensah is a product of the University of Science & Technology (KNUST), University of Education, Winneba and the Ghana School of Law.
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