Mr. Alassane Diack, the OlympAfrica Executive Director who is on a working visit to Ghana says young Ghanaian football stars would take part in the next Footballnet (7 a-side) football competition.
According to him, the Amasaman Juvenile Sports Excellence Centre has taken a good shape and must be utulised to unearth and groom future leaders for the nation.
Speaking at the press briefing on his visit at the Olympic House at Ridge in Accra, he commended the current president of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Ben Nunoo Mensah for pushing hard over the past two and a half years for support to put the facility in use.
Mr. Alassane Diack noted that the OlympiAfrica projects are for the development of talents to mould respectful and disciplined citizens.
He said the chiefs and people of Amasaman are going to benefit as the basic schools would compete in the Footballnet programme comprising male and female kids of between 11 years to 14 years, and the winners will face the Republic of Togo in a international competition.
He said the aim of OlympAfrica is not about winning, but values to teach the kids how to live togetherand create a better world.
He hinted that the project is supported by BarcelonaFC and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and creates an opportunity also for kids to see their idol football stars.
He promised to support with the construction of a multipurpose court to allow the kids play basketball, volleyball, handball and others before tackling the whole project with OlympAfrica funding as Ghana has now been accepted into the family.
“It’s a shame that there is no OlympAfrica Centre in Ghana” he stressed, but with the dynamic leadership of Ben Nunoo Mensah, things would be better.
He announced that Ghana has never benefited like other 51 African nations and it is sad.
He noted that the Amasaman project is not to build an Olympic stadium, but a centre for kids between the ages of 5 years to 15 years, where they can play to discover their talents and skills, as well as engage in other social development activities.
He pointed out that education is very important, with an example of how Jamaicans are doing well in schools sports because they organize and manage education and sports very well.
Mr. Diack urged the media to keep on supporting sportsmen and officials, as without them it would be difficult for many people to be seen or known, or projects to be completed as scheduled.
“At OlympAfrica, we are very transparent, and ensure accountability, so when Ghana is admitted they must be open and work hard to maintain and sustain the facility” he added.
Concluding, he advised the government not only to invest in sports infrastructure, but more important the sportsmen and women.
He advised that as Ghana prepares to host the 2023 African Games, the nation must have well trained coaches and top athletes to compete and win medals.
After the briefing, he was accompanied by the GOC president to meet the Parliamentary subcommittee on youth and sports.
Source: mybrytfmonline/Sammy Heywood Okine and Elizabeth Alhassan
