�Appointment Of Sports Minister Must Be On Merit�

Former athletics chief, George Lutterodt, has expressed his willingness to serve in the government of the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo-Addo, when given the opportunity.
 
The 60-year-old life patron of the Ghana Netball Association and Peace Ambassador for the 2016 elections, told the Daily Graphic in an interview that he was capable of creating an enabling environment for all sporting disciplines in the country to thrive.

Despite his long-standing (35-year-old) close friendship with the President-elect, the London School of Economics trained graduate wants all appointments by Nana Akufo-Addo to be made on merit and not based on friendship or close ties.

“I have known Nana for a very long time but I want all appointments and any appointment he makes to be based on merit and be done in the interest of the country as a whole,” he stated.

The veteran sports administrator, who single-handedly sponsored Junior Olympics gold medallist, Martha Bissah, to study abroad after a frustrated experience with the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA), is considered the dark horse for the position of a sports minister.

He was mentioned in many news portals and print media as a formidable candidate and an outsider who can be appointed to run the sports ministry.

But speaking to the Daily Graphic, Lutterodt who served the Kufuor administration as an athletics chief from 2001 to 2004, said he would not lobby or canvass for the position.

According to him, if he deserved such a position it must be meritorious and not based on his relationship with the President-elect.

He said he was confident that the President-elect would make a right decision when the time comes.