Oti: Biakoye DCE Launches basketball sports initiative.
Monday, January 3, 2022
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Biakoye in the Oti Region, Hon. Millicent Kabuki Carboo has observed that lesser known sporting disciplines such as basketball continue not to receive the needed attention like the game of football does, adding that the situation is erroneous and unfortunate.
She therefore stressed the need for the youth to explore and attach importance to all sporting disciplines until they are able to settle on their destined or God-given sports talent.
Hon. Carboo was speaking at the first ever launching and demonstration of a basketball game initiative at Tapa Amanya.
The initiative which was the brainchild of a philanthropist and citizen of Tapa Amanya, Mr. Michael Asiedu, is expected not only to generate a new basketball culture amongst the people of the area but also extended to all the basic and the five (5) senior high schools within the Biakoye district and beyond.
Madam Carboo noted that basketball is one of the sporting disciplines that attracts and entertains millions of people all over the world. According to her, historical evidence indicates that Basketball was first played some 129 years ago on 21st December, 1891.
The DCE called on the youth and students not to settle on football alone as it is the case today but also venture into other sports disciplines like basketball which earns a lot of money for its players in Europe and America.
She lauded the efforts of Mr. Michael Asiedu and the family for the positive initiative and pledged her personal support and that of the District Assembly in ensuring that such a laudable vision is realized.
The Guest of Honour at the event was the Managing Director of Bestas Press Limited in Accra, Mr. Ben Asamoah. He commended Mr. Asiedu for the noble innovation, saying it has the potential to create employment opportunities for the teeming youth of Tapa Amanya and its surrounding communities. It would also positively impact a lot of lives in the area particularly among the youth and students a lot of whom have great interest in and love for sports, Mr. Asamoah emphasized.
The District Director of Education for Biakoye, Ms. Roselyn Kafui Ofori noted that the link between education and sports is a straight-forward one, emphasizing that sports is friendship, health, education and togetherness.
Madam Ofori therefore urged parents and guardians as well as teachers in the district to help their children develop their talents in sports including the basketball game, many players of whom are billionaires across the developed world.
The Worwora Distinct Police Commander, Supt. Simmons Amenu was excited about the gesture of the philanthropist, saying the people of Tapa Amanya can now compete favourabley with their counterparts in Accra and elsewhere in the basketball game. He urged other citizens of the area to emulate the shining example of Mr. Asiedu in order to bring more development to the people of Tapa Amanya in particular and Biakoye and Oti Region in general.
Touching on the introduction of the basketball initiative in the area, the philanthropist and citizen of Tapa Amanya, Mr. Michael Asiedu noted that in Europe and America, several thousands of people make good money from basketball, a development which is the direct opposite in Ghana or developing countries.
According to Mr. Asiedu who had extensively travelled across the globe to countries such as Israel, Liberia, South Africa, Sweden and the United States of America (USA), his vision is to promote the basketball sports amongst the youth and students of Biakoye, Oti Region and Ghana ultimately.
In his view, the move would allow the talented players to also reap all the needed benefits associated with the basketball sports or discipline. He promised to bring more basketball courts, equipment and all the needed logistics into the country for communities and schools that would show great interest in the basketball game and its development.
As part of the launching of the game, four (4) contestant players were subjected to three (3) rounds of six (6) total throws in all towards grabbing a trophy and fifty (50) dollars ($50.00) that were at stake. This was after the DCE officially threw the first ball to launch the initiative.
None of the four players was however able to hit a basket apart from the DCE’s launching throw which found the basket to the surprise and admiration of all and sundry at the event.
The DCE, Hon. Carboo later presented the trophy and the cash award back to Mr. Michael Asiedu to be competed for by the schools beginning from the early part of 2022.
Mr. Asiedu also showcased various weights and bicycles to the gathering which according to him, were good for all manner of physical exercises including those related to the basketball game.
The event was graced by a number of chiefs and queen mothers, the Presiding Member of the Biakoye District Assembly, some drumming groups, the Clergy and some Assembly and Unit Committee members, teachers and officials of the Biakoye District Assembly.