The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the National Sports Authority (NSA) have agreed to bring netball back to the international stage after the Netball Association of Ghana (NAG) was expelled for non-payment of affiliation fees.
To this effect the Ghana Olympic Committee has made a payment of US$500 to the International Netball Federation (INF) as part payment of the affiliation fees owed by NAG.
Speaking in an interview with Awake Sports, President of the Netball Association of Ghana, Rev. Emmanuel Nikoi who was excited about the development thanked the GOC especially its President Ben Nunoo Mensah for fulfilling his promise.
He explained that Ghana has been expelled from the International body hence cannot participate in any international competition until all debts are cleared.
He was however hopeful that once they have started making payments they would be reconsidered and called back to the international body.
He said Ghana has failed to pay their affiliation fee since 2011 and that has accrued to a total of £3,355.06. He added that the GOC also paid their African affiliation fee of US$250.
The President mentioned that the National Sports Authority under the leadership of Robert Sarfo Mensah has also agreed to pay their African affiliation fee for the year 2017/18 amounting to US$500.
He added that the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MoYS) has also promised to support the GOC with the payment of their international affiliation fees.
It would be recalled that when Nunoo Mensah was elected President of the GOC he pledged to assist Federations that had financial challenges with their international bodies.
According to the NAG President, “it is very embarrassing to Ghana that when you attend a competition and they mentioned your name first thing that comes out is Ghana owes.”
He added that Ghana was supposed to participate in two international tournaments, which were Africa Senior Netball Championship in Kampala, Uganda in June and the West African International Netball Tournament held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire last month.
Ghana netball is not ranked in the current world ranking of netball by the International Netball Federation.
There are six Africa countries in the ranking and they are South Africa (5th), Malawi (6th), Uganda (13th), Zambia (15th), Zimbabwe (17th) and Botswana (18th).
