Mustapha Ussif is confident Ghana will send a bigger team to Birmingham 2022 than Gold Coast 2018 ©Getty Images

Ghana's Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif wants well in excess of 100 athletes to represent the country at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Ussif believes 113 athletes have met qualification standards and is hopeful roughly 120 will ultimately travel to England for the multi-sport event.

This would represent a significant increase on Gold Coast 2018 and demonstrate Government investment in sport is working, Ussif argues.

"The target is to get about 120 to participate at this year’s Commonwealth Games, as against the 78 athletes that took part in the last Games in Australia," Ussif said, as reported by GhanaWeb.

"So far, 113 athletes have qualified, demonstrating the Government’s investment in sports other than football."

In excess of GSH5 million (£540,000/$660,000/€630,000) has been spent on aiding Commonwealth Games preparations, Ussif claimed.

Ghana won one medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images
Ghana won one medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images

Ghana returned from Gold Coast 2018 with one medal, won by Jesse Lartey in the men's lightweight boxing tournament. 

It represented Ghana's worst medals haul in more than three decades.

Birmingham 2022 is due to open on July 28 and comes a little more than a year before Ghana is due to stage the African Games for the first time.

Capital Accra is planned to be the focal point for the 2023 African Games.