Let the Games Begin…

By Bernard Yaw Ashiadey

This is how the Vice President, John Mahama, on behalf of the President, declared the commencement of the National Unity Games over the weekend at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium.

The National Sports Festival, which was formally known as the Founders Day Games(after independence), Revolutionary Anniversary Games(during the PNDC era), and now National Unity Games, seeks to display the talents and skills of about 5000 sportsmen and women from across the ten regions and the security services.

Under the theme, “Uniting the people through sports,” the events brings together 20 sporting disciplines, which include, football, volleyball, tennis(U-16), table tennis, cycling, swimming, netball, amateur boxing, badminton ,athletics ,hockey, handball, judo, karate-do, scrabble, chess, weightlifting, disabled sports and taekwondo.

The activities which will be held from the 17^th to 26^th of this month, are being hosted by the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, University of Ghana, National Hockey Stadium, Prisons Complex, PRESEC (Legon) and ATTC (Kokomlemle)

The essence of the National Unity Games is to provide an ideal setting for the youth to honour their land of birth on the wings of sports.

It is also an avenue to give the youth from the various regions the opportunity to learn to live together as members of one grand family.

The festival also provides an opportunity for technical personnel of the country’s sports administration and the various national sports associations for talent hunting to strengthen the national teams for the various disciplines preparing for international competitions, which consist of ECOWAS Sports Festival, which will be hosted in Accra next year, All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique and the 2012 London Olympics.

The Vice President in his speech said, this unity Games is undoubtedly one of the biggest stages and opportunities for our young athletes to showcase the talent they have and make their regions and other outfits proud.

“Lets us all feel and show the passion around and make our various contribution for a highly successful unity games. The country is afforded a big platform to unearth more sporting talents for the future glory of the nation,” he said.

Mr. Nii Armah Ashitey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister charged the technical members, referees, umpires and judges to be unbiased in officiating so that the games would be fairly decided.