The Sports Writers Association of Ghana, SWAG said the average Ghanaian is disillusioned with the way sports in the country has been allowed to drift without clearcut guidelines two years into the administration of the NPP government.

The Association is therefore demanding a radical re-think of the philosophy underpinning the promotion and development of sports in the country in the New Year.

This is contained in the SWAG's New Year Message to the country under a heading, "Ghana Sports need new leadership" and signed by its president, Mr. Ebo Quansah.

"We are not happy with the way and manner important issues affecting the promotion and development of sports are being toyed with at the Ministry. We believe sports need a new direction. Sports cannot be promoted on the culture of suspicion and mistrust which is unfortunately replacing dialogue and frank discussion,"

The message said, " after two years of careful monitoring of sports promotion and development, the SWAG has come to the sad conclusion that Sports is the weakest link in the Kufuor Government's drive to move the wheels of this nation along the path of Positive Change."

It said as the main watchdog on Ghana Sports, the SWAG is seriously disappointed in the government's apparent lack of interest in using sports as a unifying force and mobilising the people to be more productive.

The message said the present political leadership is bankrupt of ideas to move sports forward as he is unable to factor consensus building as an ally of sports promotion.

It said as a result, the country is gradually becoming the sick nation of African sports adding " from one of the greatest sporting nations on the continent, Ghana has succeeded in reducing herself into a laughing stock of global and African sports.