GRi in Parliament 22 – 03 - 2003
The current policy of the
Ministry of Youth and Sports is to strictly adhere to the age limit so as to
inculcate social values like honesty, fair-play, respect for rules and
regulations that are essential ingredients needed for the country's growth and
development.
Edward Osei-Kwaku,
the Minister said this on Friday in Parliament when Joseph Tsatsu
Agbenu, NDC-Afram Plains
South asked what were the causes for the recent failure of the Black Satellites
to qualify for the World Youth Soccer Tournament in Burkina Faso.
The Minister said the current
policy of the GFA was to select most of the players of the national Youth teams
from the lower league divisions in line with the Five-year football development
programme that is aimed at a systematic team building.
Osei-Kwaku
said most of the players who formed the core of the Black Satellites of
2002/2003 were initially picked from the lower league divisions. He said
unfortunately, the selection exercise coincided with the period that there was
no competitive match in those divisions because of a court action instituted by
Tudu Might Jets against the GFA and as such player selection
was based on friendly and not competitive matches.
In the course of their training,
it became evident that some of the players were not the type of materials
needed and they had to be dropped for new ones to be invited and as a result of
this, the final squad selected for the tournament lacked the necessary cohesion
and co-ordination for such a high profile competition.
Osei -Kwaku
said as part of preparations at giving them the necessary exposure and
experience for the tournament, the team engaged in three friendly international
competitions that exposed the weaknesses in the team necessitating the
invitation of five foreign -based layers to beef up the squad.
He said unfortunately the
foreign-based players were not released on time by their foreign clubs to have
sufficient training with their counterparts and added to this was that some of
the players had hidden in juries unknown to officials that affected their total
performance as the competition progressed.
Agbenu in a supplementary question
asked what other alternative plans the ministry was putting in place to avoid
future delays in the release of players for competitions and the Minister said
the issue was global and the world football governing body, FIFA was aware of
it but the GFA would only collaborate with the foreign clubs to rectify the
situation.
The member also asked whether
the Ministry faced a setback in the early release of funds towards preparation
of the tournament and the Minister said that has been a major problem facing
the ministry and contributes to the poor performance of the country's sportsmen
and women.
James Adusei-Sarkodie,
NPP-Atwima-Nwabiagya wondered why the ministry was
not embarking on developing football at the second cycle schools levels as used
to be for the national Youth teams and the Minister said the current
educational school system was not favourable to groom them for such
competitions.
Osei-Kwaku
said whereas the students are under-developed and are tiny,
their short stay in school makes them to concentrate more on their books than
on sports. Alhaji Abukari Sumani,
NDC-Choggu/Tishigu wondered whether the ministry
could enforce and making mandatory clauses in the transfer of players to
foreign clubs to make them respond to national calls and the Minister said that
cannot be possible however, most of the players often invited show interest to
respond but their clubs put a lot of impediments on their way.
GRi.../
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Accra (Greater Accra) 22 March 2003-
Kosi Kedem, MP for Hohoe-South on Friday re-echoed his misgivings about the
way Parliament was being saddled and had to rush through serious businesses of
the House at the end of every session.
Kedem said he had been complaining every
year about the habit of the House rushing through important businesses. "It
is unnecessary to rush through serious bills like the Labour Bill which is as
voluminous as the Bible. Every year I
had to draw the attention of the Leadership of the House to this issue. But the
heart of the
Leadership had been so harden.
"Mr Speaker, we have to do
something about these things otherwise posterity will not forgive us." The
member expressed this sentiment after the Deputy Majority Leader,
Abraham Osei Aidooh had presented the Business
Statement for the tenth week ending
Kofi Attor,
Ho-Central said in view of the limited time at the disposal of the House,
priority attention should be given to the financial estimates of Ministries,
Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to void shoddy work.
The House is expected to take
the Labour Bill, Financial Administration Bill and Debt Recovery (Tema Oil
Refinery Company) Fund Bill through their various stages and passed alongside
the laying of a number of reports and approval of financial estimates of MDAs.
During the week the Ministers of
Manpower Development and Employment, Local Government and Rural Development,
Interior, Trade and Industry, Health, Energy and Roads and Transport are
expected to answer 14 questions.
GRi.../
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