YES Ministry gives to rugby team

Accra, Oct 14, GNA - The Ministry of Youth, Education and Sports on Tuesday made a presentation of 15 million cedis to the national rugby team which participated in the Rugby Afican Nations Cup in Bamako Mali recently.

The presentation is to help the Ghana Rugby Association (GRA) to embark on developmental projects to promote the sport in Ghana as well as motivate players who represented the nation at the tournament. Making the presentation, Mr. Kwadjo Baah-Wiredu, the minister, said his ministry is aware of the numerous problems facing the sport in the country but said they are determined to help solve them through giving support to all sporting disciplines.

Mr. Baah-Wiredu called on the rugby players to be discipline, dedicated and committed to the sport that they have chosen adding that the nation stands the chance of winning more laurels in the sport if they adhered to such principles.

He congratulated them for emerging as the third placed team in the tournament and called on them to strive hard to improve on the standard they have achieved in the competition.

Madam Gifty Annan-Myers chairperson of GRA expressed appreciation to the minister for coming to their aid and assured him of an improved performance in the subsequent events.

She said with little preparation, the team has been able to place third after competing with other advanced countries on the continent and added that with more support from the government and co-operate bodies the sport is capable of moving the nation to greater heights. Messrs Larry Kweku Attifah and Agyei Boateng have each given the team two milion cedis for their performance in the continental competition.

The rugby team participated in the African Championship in Mali and won the bronze medal by beating Togo in the third placed match.