The Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC) has expanded its community development initiatives to include sports, with a particular focus on discovering and nurturing football talents among young people in its surrounding communities.
Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Christopher Asiedu, Community Relations Officer at GOPDC, said the company’s community development programmes have traditionally focused on key areas including health, education and livelihoods, but sports has now been added as an important component.
According to him, the decision to introduce sports was influenced by the talents the company observed among young people during an under-15 inter-school football competition sponsored by GOPDC last year.
He explained that about eight schools participated in the competition, with the company providing jerseys, football boots, footballs and other sporting materials to support the young players.
Mr. Asiedu said the experience prompted management to consider how similar opportunities could be extended to children and young people in communities surrounding the company.
He noted that football provides an avenue for young people to remain active, develop their talents and build positive relationships with one another. He cautioned that when young people are left without meaningful activities, some may become vulnerable to negative influences, including drug abuse, which could have consequences for both the individuals and their communities.
Mr. Asiedu said GOPDC has identified 12 communities and intends to involve eight of them in the tournament. He explained that the games currently underway form part of the preliminary stage, involving four communities, after which the remaining communities will be brought into the competition.
He added that GOPDC is committed to supporting the participating teams beyond the tournament, saying the winning team will receive jerseys, footballs and boots from the company.
He further disclosed that prizes would be presented to the first-, second- and third-placed teams at the end of the tournament.
The football competition was held at Kwae Estate in the Eastern Region.
Also speaking, Mr. Giedon Ahamah, Health, Safety and Environmental Officer at GOPDC, expressed appreciation to the community leaders and organizers for putting the programme together.
He said the initiative would help strengthen unity among the communities while creating an opportunity for young people to demonstrate their football abilities.
Mr. Ahamah observed that many young people possess considerable sporting talents but lack the necessary opportunities, support and platforms to develop their abilities.
He said GOPDC’s initiative is intended to help identify such talents and connect promising young footballers with individuals and institutions capable of supporting their development.
He stressed that the grassroots remain an important source of football talent, pointing out that there are talented players in villages and smaller communities who can compete at higher levels if given the necessary exposure and support.
Mr. Ahamah therefore appealed to the government and other stakeholders in Ghana’s football sector to pay greater attention to grassroots football development.
He said talent identification should not be limited to major towns and cities, arguing that scouting young players from communities and villages could help Ghana discover more footballers capable of representing the country in the future.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Amuzu Priscilla
