Participating To Win Should Be Our Focus – Vice President Bawumia

Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has called on key stakeholders managing the country’s athletes to re-orient their minds from just participating in international athletic championships to winning medals for the nation.

He said the prime focus should be to win medals that would bring glory and honour to Ghana, and not just pride themselves in having qualified to participate.

“Ghana cannot continue to participate in international games for the sake of participation but her presence must be felt to show our solidarity for the growth and development of global sports,” Dr Bawumia said.

He explained that the nation’s presence could be felt if she outlined pragmatic talent development policies and programmes that were consistent with international best practices to achieve the set goals.

Vice President Bawumia made the remarks in Accra at the launch of the Sixth Edition of Ghana’s Fastest Human project aimed at unearthing talents, especially sprinters to win medals for Ghana in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan.

He believed the project has the potential of restoring Ghana’s image in the world of athletics and unearth talents that could re-establish the nation’s rightful place among the comity of sporting nations.

Vice President Bawumia recalled the glorious days of Ghana’s athletics when legendary athletes like Ohene Karikari, Vida Afriyie, Mike Ahey, Stanley Allotey, Oko Addy, Joshua Owusu and Emmanuel Tuffour were household names in Africa and the Commonwealth and made the nation proud.

He said President Nana Akufo-Addo was a sportsman and an avid enthusiast of sports and assured that government would provide all the necessary support to ensure the success of the programme.

The Vice President suggested that on the seventh year of the programme, an evaluation team should be constituted to evaluate its output so that useful lessons would be learnt going forward.

He observed that Ghanaians naturally had astronomical, physiological and motor qualities that were similar to that of Jamaicans because of the historic relations in ancestry.

He was optimistic that if the nation put in place the necessary measures to promote athletics, she could perform marvellously in the sport again, especially in sprints.

“Ghana can even do better if we establish high performing training centres for sprints and other athletic events,” Vice President Bawumia said.

“That is why President Akufo-Addo is interested in Ghana’s Fastest Human project, which aims at restoring Ghana’s rightful place in athletics.”

The project, he said, should be championed by a dedicated team that would work coherently to achieve a common goal to bring glory and honour to the nation.

He noted that if scientific methods are applied in the selection and training of athletes, it takes about eight years of two Olympic circles to produce a world-class athlete capable of winning an Olympic medal.

Vice President Bawumia expressed the belief that the country could rely on the Ghana Athletic Association (GAA) to spearhead her ambition of winning medals.

He, therefore, charged the Association to put the national interest above personal interests, saying; “That is the only way we can achieve our goals”.

He tasked the members of the GAA to work as a team to restore the nation to her rightful place in the world of athletics.

The benefits of sports include individual and national development, creating jobs and empowering the youth, enhancing social inclusion, improving health and fitness, fostering peace and unity, preventing drug abuse, encouraging democratic principles, improving social cohesion and ultimately enhancing the nation’s image.

Vice President Bawumia, therefore, applauded the corporate sponsors including the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Ndomie, and World Pool and Papers Gym for supporting a worthy cause.

Ghana has won the bid to host the 13th Edition of the All African Games in 2023, and Vice President Bawumia was of the belief that if adequate preparations were made, the nation could present a formidable team to win medals and bring glory and honour to the nation.

Hon. Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, the Minister of Youth and Sports said the government was using a scientific approach by developing equipment and sports facilities for sports development.

It was, therefore, using Information and Communication Technology to monitor and keep track of athletes and specialists such as top-notch coaches, nutritionists, psychologists, and physiotherapists to improve the country’s sports.

Consequently, the Ministry had embarked on massive infrastructural development across the country so create sufficient space for young people to groom their talents, Mr Asiamah said.

The infrastructure, upon completion, would have facilities for more than 15 sports disciplines and undertake training programmes for coaches to identify young talents.

Efforts had also been made to ensure the facilities were maintained to serve both the present and future generations.

The event attracted important personalities in the sports industry, including Dr K. K. Sarpong, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Mr Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and Professor Peter Twumasi, Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), as well as past and present athletic legends and corporate sponsors.

The project, initiated by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), in collaboration with the Ghana Athletics Association and other key stakeholders, started in 2013 and will run for seven years.

Dr K. K. Sarpong said GNPC is motivated by the principal objective of the project, which is to unearth talents and nurture them to represent Ghana at the 2020 Olympic Games.

“As the national oil company of Ghana, we are committed to positively impact the lives of the youth by empowering their dreams. We see our investments as a national duty. We are happy to have contributed to Ghana’s Fastest Human athletes making impressive times, and peaking at the ultimate Olympic Games draws closer. Without GNPC, this would not have been possible. Now, together, we can hoist high the flag of Ghana” he said.

CEO of Ghana, Reks Brobby expressed appreciation to the Presidency, saying “We are grateful that His Excellency, President Akufo-Addo honoured us by launching the 2017 edition, in his first year in office. Today, we are once again honoured to have H.E. the Vice President here to do us the honours. Thank you.

Ghana Fastest Human 2019 meets will be held across the country in Tamale on April 27, Cape Coast on May 25, Kumasi on June 29, Accra on July 28, and the grand finale on September 14 in Kumasi.