Accra, Sept 1, GNA - The Ministry of Education and Sports has finalised details of the New Sports Bill and will soon be placed before Cabinet for its approval.

Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the sector minister who announced this at the "Meet the Press" series in Accra on Thursday, said the Bill is aimed at injecting greater momentum and efficiency in sports development and promotion in the country.

He added that the Bill is a holistic document, which will enhance public-private sector participation in sports and address key issues, which are lacking in the Supreme Military Council (SMC) Decree 54. The Minister expressed the hope that Parliament will pass the Bill before the end of the year (2005).

Mr Osafo-Maafo also announced that his Ministry has prepared and presented a paper on 'Sports as a Tool for Poverty Reduction" to be included in the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy.

"This is due to the realisation that sports can be used in the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger by creating opportunities for employment in the industry and the organisation of larger sports events".

Mr Osafo-Maafo said this would provide the Ministry the opportunity to access the HIPC funds that will accelerate the provision of sporting facilities to help grassroots development.

He said the Ministry will also support persons with various degrees of disability, hence the creation of the National Paralympic Association by the National Sports Council (NSC) to manage sports for physically challenged persons to participate in local and world Paralympic games.