Akosombo Textiles to revive table tennis

Accra, Oct. 8, GNA - Beginning next January, Akosombo Textile Limited (ATL) will sponsor a special table tennis league as a way of revitalizing the sport in the country.
Officials of the textile manufacturing company, owners of the now defunct Akotex football club and giant killers in the 1970s, were evasive on how much it will inject.
Mr Eric Amankwa, former captain of Akotex told a press conference in Accra on Friday when he presented a cheque for 10 million cedis plus 18 trophies worth 12 million cedis on behalf of the company towards this year's Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) awards night fixed for Saturday, October 23, at the Alisa Hotel.
This year's presentation, the 12th in succession by Akosombo textile towards the award was unique in that the top brass of the company gave the floor to the former players some of whom have been working with the firm for the past 30 years to do the presentation.
Apart from the skipper Amankwa (Soccer James Brown), stalwart defender Lomo Michel, E. Oblitey, Michael Koranteng, Gogo Amoah and Gariba Bukari who were members of the 1971 squad which demolished Kumasi Asante Kotoko, were all present at the ceremony.
Mr Amankwa expressed regret that the interest in table tennis has taken a nosedive but was hopeful that when the maiden league kick-starts in January, it will be revived.
At a separate ceremony, the Chairman of Ghana's 2008 African Cup of Nations bid Committee Dr Kofi Amoah donated 15 million cedis towards the awards.
Ghana's sensational long jumper, Ignatius Gaisah, who set a new Africa games record of 8.30metres jump at last year's All Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria, will receive the topmost award as SWAG Sports Personality of 2003.
He also doubles as the athlete of the year under review after an impressive outing on the international stage.
Also to be crowned is Ghana's four by 100 relay team, which won gold at the All Africa Games as the team of the year while last year's sports personality of the year, Margaret Simpson is Female athlete of the year award.
Eight hundred meter runner, Akosau Serwa is the Discovery of the year, promising star -Shaibu Yakubu of AshantiGold who also doubled as joint top goal king with Kwadwo Poku now with F/C Midtjiland of Denmark on 13 goals.
Evergreen Emmanuel Osei Kuffour of Hearts of Oak is to be decorated with the Dedication and Velour award, Male Footballer of the year -Aziz Ansah of Kotoko - Female Footballer of the year, Adjoa Bayor, Top Scoring club, Kotoko (GD 39 goals) and Coach of the year - Abdul Razak. Ebo Bartles, Chairman of the Table Tennis Association is the Chairman of the year, Table Tennis Player of the year- Nana Yaw Boateng- Professional Boxer, Emmanuel Clottey, Volleyball- Cashmir Agbenyega,, Referee of the year -Justice Yeboah, Cyclist of the year, John Zormelo.
Two institutions and one personality Feyenoord soccer Academy, SCAMCOM Ghana Limited, operators of Spacefon and Nana Addo Twum, a veteran Sports writer for his role in promoting sports especially horse racing will also be honoured.