Sunyani Poly to host West Africa Polytechnic Games

The Sunyani Polytechnic is to host the third edition of the West African Polytechnic Games Association (WAPOGA).

The Games which is scheduled for September 2010 is expected to have eight countries participating in various sporting disciplines comprising football, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, tennis, athletics, judo, swimming, chess and taekwando.

The participating countries are Ghana, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal and Nigeria.

Professor Kwasi Nsiah-Gyabaah, Rector of Sunyani Polytechnic and President of WAPOGA disclosed these at a press briefing in Sunyani on Tuesday.

He said as the host country, an amount of more than GHC 200,000 was needed as a matter of urgency towards preparations with the construction of a mini-stadium at the Polytechnic's premises.

Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah appealed to the government, philanthropists, corporate and spirited organizations to support in making the event successful.

He explained that sports was part of the intellectual and physical development of especially the youth as well as for moral training and also promotes discipline adding that any educational process without sports development was incomplete.

The President of WAPOGA stressed the importance for neighbouring countries to use sports to open the gate for peace and security more especially in war-torn territories.

Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah who gave a brief background of the Games, explained that WAPOGA was established in 2000 to bring together all polytechnic institutions in the sub-region to promote cultural and regional integration.

He said Yaba College of Technology in Nigeria hosted the maiden edition and that the Games were to be organised every two years.

Prof. Nsiah-Gyabaah said that due to unforeseen reasons the Games were postponed since 2004 but it was resurrected with Cote D'Ivoire hosting the 2008 event.

He said eight Polytechnics from Ghana participated in the just ended competition and expressed the hope that in 2010 all the Polytechnics in the country would do well to participate to make it more competitive.

Ministers of State, Chief Directors and other distinguished personalities of participating countries are expected to attend the competition which would span for 12 days.