Discussions on the appointment of a Deputy Minister of Sports and Recreation have taken the media space with sports analysts, pundits and presenters anticipating a young nominee, well experienced and sports-oriented person to occupy the position.
As the President John Dramani Mahama’s government takes shape with the selection of substantive Ministers, and Deputy Ministers of State, speculations are high in the media space as to who becomes the Deputy Sports Minister.
With the appointment of Mr. Kofi Adams as the substantive Minister of Sports and Recreation, one name that keeps running through the sports fraternity and discourses in the media space is Mr. Dickson Kyere-Duah, the Member of Parliament for Berekum West constituency in the Bono Region.
His profile
Popularly known in the sports fraternity as ‘Stugard,’ Mr. Kyere-Duah is a distinguished Sports Administrator with over 28 years of experience and meritorious service in Sports Management and Administration.
He played an instrumental role in the Elections 2020 and 2024 political campaigns of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and served meticulously as a Spokesperson on Sports in both elections.
Currently, Mr. Kyere-Duah is the President of Eagle Soccer Academy, a Berekum West-based Division Two club dedicated to unearthing and nurturing young football talents in Berekum West and beyond.
He previously worked as the Director of Administration and Communication for B.A. United F/C before becoming CEO and later a Board member of the club.
Mr. Kyere-Duah was once the Vice-Chairman of the Brong Ahafo Regional Football Association. Before his election to Parliament, he was the Secretary to the Sports Committee of Sunyani Technical University. He obtained a certificate in Basic Football Administration in 2003.
Senior sports Journalist
With 25 years of experience in broadcast and print media, Mr. Kyere-Duah has extensive working experience in Ghana and abroad, including BBC in the UK, Deutsche Welle TV and the Wurzburg Newspaper, in Germany.
He has covered many sporting events globally including World Cups, Olympic Games and Boxing events in the USA. He once worked at Hot FM in Accra, Fox FM in Kumasi, Space FM in Sunyani, Sky FM, and Radio Windy Bay in Winneba.
Mr. Kyere-Duah is the Vice Chair of the Brong Ahafo Regional Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), and a secretary for the Armwrestling Federation, the then Brong-Ahafo Chapter.
Astute Communicator
The Berekum West MP is an Accredited Member of the Institute of Public Relations Ghana, with over 20 years of high-level consummate communication and public relations skills.
Notable positions he has held include; Head of Public Relations at Sunyani Technical University; NDC National Communications Team member and the NDC Spokesperson on Sports for the 2020 and 2024 National Campaigns.
He is a very analytical, assertive, detail-oriented, and persuasive communicator with a proven record of accomplishment in both the Public and Private sectors.
Way forward
Interestingly, the popularity and personal appeal of Mr. Kyere-Duah cut across all political divides.
As a brand specialist, he has branded and marketed the NDC in Berekum West in a manner that has attracted a huge support base from within and outside the party and as a popular senior journalist and an astute football administrator, he has a lot of following outside the party, which contributed to a massive win for NDC in the NPP-dominated area in the Election 2024.
Mr. Kyere-Duah’s appointment as a Deputy Sports Minister will not only galvanize the base of the party but will attract a lot of new members to join and his experienced and massive respect in the media industry will be key in building and sustaining strong media relations for the ministry too.
Considering his excellent human relationship and media friendliness, taking over the position as a Deputy Minister will be a powerful weapon for government communication in sports and beyond if appointed to assist the substantive minister.
In fact, as an MP for from the Bono Region, his appointment as a Deputy Sports Minister will not only satisfy some level of regional balance but will also energize the party base in the sports-crazy regions of Bono, Ahafo and Bono East. These football regions alone have five premier Clubs, 10 Division one clubs and more than hundred Division Two Clubs.
Source: GNA
