....He Denies Allegation & appeals to athletes to bear with them
Accra, Sept 17, GNA- Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and Sports has admitted that poor infrastructure is accounting for the country's poor performance in sports and as such the Ministry is doing everything possible to put the right structures in place to help uplift sports.

'We do sympathise with our sportsmen and women a lot; we want them to perform on a higher level but without good facilities they cannot produce the needed results; that is why everything possible is being done to rehabilitate our sports infrastructure to the right standards."

Speaking to the GNA Sports on Wednesday, Mr Aggrey refuted an allegation levelled against him by the local athletes who alleged that the Minister drove them out of his office and was not prepared to listen to their problems.

The Minister explained that he did not turn the athletes down but rather appealed to them to channel any grievances they might have through the laid down structures.

Touching on the issue of only four out of the 16 athletes currently in camp to be selected for the All Africa Games which has made the local athletes to threaten a boycott of the games, the Minister explained that because of past experience where so many athletes were sent but they failed to produce good results, it was decided that only four athletes who are medal hopefuls will be sent to the games this time.

Mr Aggrey said they are aware of the existing poor facilities which are not helping the athletes and hence they want to rely on the foreign-based athletes who will have less problems with facilities in Abuja.
He appealed to them to reconsider their decision to boycott the games and to bear with them adding that whoever is selected should justify his choice.
The local athletes have threatened to boycott the All African Games in Abuja if the authorities would allow only four out the 16 presently in camp preparing for the games. GNA