The leadership and members of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) on Thursday paid a courtesy call on Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Minister of Youth and Sports, in Accra.

The visit was to congratulate the minister on his appointment and to assure him of the support of the sporting media in developing and promoting sports in Ghana.

Afriyie-Ankrah, described the sporting media as strategic to the Ministry in its effort to develop and promote sports in the country.

According to Afriyie-Ankrah, his success as a minister and the ministry would depend largely on the strategic role of the media.

He added that, he has over the past months interacted with stakeholders in sports and has learnt a lot of useful lessons that would help in the development of sports in Ghana.

The minister assured the sporting media of his readiness to work with them as well as other stakeholders adding that, “I am operating an open door policy and ready to listen to all stakeholders”.

Ackah Anthony, President of SWAG said his outfit was prepared to collaborate with the minister to develop sports in the country.

He however called on the minister to see to the re-structuring of the National Sports Authority (NSA) to make it more effective in its role as the drivers of sports development in the country.

According to the president, previous attempts at re-branding the NSA have not been effective adding that there is the need for more practical approach to re-branding the authority.

He also called on the minister to ensure that, his plans of giving equal support to all sporting disciplines, since other sporting disciplines have over the years not been given the needed support.

Anthony also reminded the minister of the need to re-introduce schools sports, to help to discover talents for the nation, adding that the nation has over the years benefited from talents discovered at such events.