Ghana Olympic Committee President Ben Nunoo Mensah called on businesses to invest in the country's athletes ©Youtube

Ghana Olympic Committee President Ben Nunoo Mensah has called on businesses to invest in the country's athletes as they prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. 

Nunoo Mensah claimed that athletes could not rely on Government funding alone, as reported by Ghana News Agency.

He had been able to secure some funding from the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa, but only sprinter Joseph Amoah and triple jumper Nadia Eke have qualified for Tokyo 2020 so far. 

Nunoo Mensah called for businesses to help athletes qualify for the Olympics in sports such as boxing, weightlifting, volleyball, swimming, judo, karate, table tennis, shooting and fencing. 

"Sport is an advertising tool, which many nations and people have exploited and benefited from," he said.

"Although Ghana lacks sports facilities, there are many talented youth who can perform and shine if given the chance and opportunity at the big stage."

Sprinter Joseph Amoah is only one of two Ghanaian athletes to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games ©Getty Images
Sprinter Joseph Amoah is only one of two Ghanaian athletes to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Ghana have struggled at the Olympic Games of late, with their last medal coming at Barcelona 1992 when the men's football team finished third. 

In total, they have one silver and three bronze Olympic medals, having never won gold. 

Ghana sent 14 athletes in five sports to Rio 2016, with nine athletes over four sports featuring at London 2012. 

"Participating at the Olympic Games is very important, and winning an Olympic medal would be a great achievement," Nunoo Mensah said. 

"Ghana have not won many medals at the Olympic Games and it is time the nation invests and reaps the benefits of sports."