Mentally retarded competes in athletics
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001 - The minister of Youth and Sports Mr. Edward Osei-Kwaku has said the curricula of Leadership Training Institutes in the country would be reviewed to facilitate the absorption of their graduates into job markets.
Addressing the Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth and Sports on Wednesday, Mr Osei-Kwaku said he would ensure that the institutes are well resourced to achieve their objectives.
He said the type of training; course content, admission requirements and procedures, as well as opportunities for the graduates would be scrutinized and evaluated to make the products of these institutes beneficial to the country.
The minister said he would lead a crusade for increase in the budget allocation of his ministry so that he would be in a position to make the right impact.
He said it would be prudent to establish Leadership Training Institutes in Central, Western and Northern regions because they are the only regions in Ghana without such opportunities.
Mr Osei-Kwaku said, "the best part of anybody's life is his youth" and for that matter, "I will tackle their problems vigorously by teaming up with agencies and departments under me and will liase with other ministers to move as a bulldozer and remove all obstacles."
He accepted a suggestion by Mr Abuga Pele, a member of the Committee to persuade Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, minister of Local Government and Rural Development to allot a percentage of the District Assembly's Common Fund to sports development in the districts.
The minister said his open door and cooperative policy has started yielding positive results as Mr Solomon Darko, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, has promised to build an ultra modern boxing gym at Bukom to encourage more youth to take to the sport thereby removing them from the streets.
GRi…/
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Winneba (Central Region) 23 November 2001 - The head coach of the Black Stars, Mr Fred Osam Duodu has stated that his squad for the upcoming international friendly against Algeria in Algiers will be dominated by locally based stars.
He indicated that his team of 22 players will be made up of 12 locals and 10 foreign-based professionals. Coach Osam-Duodu, however declined to release the list till they are about to leave for the December 5 encounter to avoid any confusion in the team’s preparations.
Speaking to the Graphic Sports at Winneba on Thursday, the seasoned coach who has been confirmed to lead the Ghanaian team to the next Africa Nations Cup in Mali 2002, hinted that the inveited foreign-based players will comprise of those who are not engaged in any international competition currently.
The coach revealed that the Algerians had earlier indicated their intention to air-lift the Ghanaians contingent to Algiers but for the Stars plan to fly down some pros to meet their local counterparts at a transit point in Europe en route to the North African country.
He noted that another batch of foreign-based stars will be invited for assessment in the next Stars’ friendly against Mali on December 25 after which a probable set will be picked for the last two trials against Spain and Egypt on December 29 and January 4 respectively.
After break of camp on Thursday, coach Osam-Duodu expressed satisfaction about the work rate of the players and was particularly elated that the team would enjoy a weekly training regime as from Monday when camping resume.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001 - Mr A.D. Zonderland, Managing Director of Obuasi Goldfields Sporting Club, was given a rude shock last Wednesday night by thieves who ransacked his Mitsubishi Pajero vehicles at the Car Park of the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra.
Just 30 minutes after the Goldfields expatriate boss had returned to the vehicle he had parked at the hotel, he realised to his utter shock tha it had been broken into and the brief cases nowhere to be found.
According to Mr Akwasi Acheampong, Accra representative of Goldfields, one of the briefcase contained a standard bag, cash card, personal calculator, diary, cash of ¢2 million and other documents. Another had a Ghanaian driving licence, a Dutch passport, player contracts and player cards and cash of ¢4 million.
The incident took place between 6.30 and 7.00 pm. The case has since been reported to the Airport Police.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001 - In a sweet celebration of 90 years well lived, Champion Club Accra Hearts of Oak will rock the Accra Sports Stadium this Sunday with a rollicking blend of music, champagne and soccer.
What a way to celebrate an anniversary that also coincides with a five-year consecutive league championship, unprecedented in the history of Ghana football. To mark the joint events, what is meant to be a league match between Hearts and Dawu will also see on parade music sensation, Pozo Hayes, masters of ceremony, Shamo Quaye, Micky Osei Berko, Nana Obuobi, Michael Smith and Oesophagus.
While Hearts have already started celebrating, the fate of some clubs could be determined on Sunday. For such clubs as Kwaebibirem United, Adansiman, RTU, Maxbees and Ghapoha, their chances of surviving the relegation troubles is on knife edge.
Hence when these teams tackle their penultimate round games, they could be bidding an emotional farewell to the elite division. Ironically, the nation’s painful capital will be in a partying mood when Accra Hearts of Oak take on Dawu Youngsters, knowing very well that whatever happens after 90 minutes of action their name cannot be blotted form the record books.
Bottom club, Kwaebibirem will make a last ditch attempt for survival by blazing on all guns for the three points at stake at the expense of King Faisal. Failure to beat Faisal could effectively seal the Asuom lads doom and end their two-year love affair with premiership football. But Faisal are not safe either, and given their impressive run lately, a real battle is set for the Asec Park.
Adansiman’s return to top flight football after a long drought has been a really tortuous one this season. Unfortunately they have not been able to swim against the tide in spite of a late effort for survival. But on Sunday they trek to the Gyandu Park of all places in search of three vital points against Sekondi Hasaacas.
Not even the big guns feel comfortable travelling to the twin city and Adansiman find themselves trapped between the devil and deep blue sea. Away points have been a luxury commodity for Adansiman and until they manage to conjure some magic, they will be stripped bare by the home team who possess a dreaded attacking pair of Issah Mohammed and Frank Turkson, and have kept their foot on the accelerator.
Real Tamale United (RTU) appear fortunate to have home advantage in their next two games. At least they appear safe as they face clubs with poor away records. First at the altar will be Bofoakwa Tano whose impressive showing this season could be stained by failure to win away. This record is unlikely to be improved at Tamale where they face the wrath of Hamza Mohammed-led RTU who are unbeaten at home and also desperate for points for survival.
Ghapoha are just on the borderline between survival and relegation and will therefore will leave nothing to chance against visiting Arsenals at the Accra Sports Stadium tomorrow. The wonder club, Accra Great Olympics may be out of the clutches of relegation but the tight nature of the bottom rungs of the league table means that a draw to Okwawu United against whom they play at the Nkawkaw Park would be as valuable as the three points. Significantly, Okwawu are out of trouble but would not surrender the points to the visitors on a silver platter.
Liberty Professionals have managed to crawl out of trouble but at the Len Clay Stadium at Obuasi their chances of surviving against Goldfields looks very remote, given the soccer miners home prowess.
Kotoko have lost the tonic wrest power from Hearts but they have their pride at stake when they play Maxbees at the Kumasi Sports Stadium. But given the uncertainty surrounding the Porcupine Warriors anytime they defeat Hearts, they must be careful at home lest ‘bees’ from Suhum will sting them.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001 - The semi finals of this year's Star F A Cup would be played at the Accra and Kumasi Sports Stadiums on Wednesday, 28th November 2001.
A statement signed by the acting General Secretary of the Ghana football Association (GFA) said Kumasi Asante Kotoko would take on Cape Coast Dwarfs in Accra while Obuasi Goldfields sort things out with King Faisal at the Kumasi.
The statement said article 24(5) of the FA regulation invoking the penalty shoot out shall apply if at the end of 90 minutes no club emerges the winner.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001 - A day's table tennis competition to select a team to represent the country in the African Under - 17 championship opens at the Accra Sports Stadium on Thursday.
The Under - 17 championship comes off in Egypt in December, this year. Thursday's competition, which involves 18 boys and 8 girls would engage in a round-robin to select two boys and two girls to represent the country.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 November 2001 - The Association for Sports for the Disabled is jointly organizing a day's athletics competition for the mentally retarded with the Special Olympics Ghana at the Legon on Saturday November 12.
A statement signed by Hamid Issakah, Public Relations Officer of the National sports Council (NSC) said the competition would involve 10 special schools drawn from all the over country. They would participate in eight selected track and field events.
Participating schools are Dzorwulu, Castle Road, New Horizon and Three Kings Special from the Greater Accra Region.
Others are Shalom Special School, Nkoranza; Garden City, Kumasi; Twin City from Sekondi/Takoradi, Cape Coast, Koforidua and Hohoe Special Schools.
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