The Cruyf Foundation in collaboration with Cargill Ghana Limited and the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) has commissioned a state-of-the-art Cruyf Court in Tema to help develop sports talents among schools and young children.
The first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa apart from South Africa, the Court symbolised a significant investment in the sporting career and leadership development of the school children and the youth in the Tema community.
Commissioning the facility on Friday, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Ussif Mustapha, said that the project reinforced government’s commitment of shifting from sports promotion to development through the provision of such facilities in every district of the country.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Cruyf Foundation, Mr Niels Meijer, said the facility would benefit school children by unearthing their talents at early ages.
“With the Cruyf Court, we create space for children; space to play sports, space to make friends, space to have fun and space to grow sports,” he emphasised while commending Cargill for its partnership in executing the project.
The Managing Director of Cargill Ghana Limited, Aedo Van Der Weij, said the facility would promote the development of sports among current and future generations of school children.
The CEO of TMA, Mr Yohanne Armah Ashitey, said the facility would add to similar projects, including the Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema-Manhean for a similar purpose.
Mr Ashitey said Cargill and Cruyf Foundation had trained 16 local coaches to support activities and nurture the talent and leadership capabilities of the children on and off the Court.
He announced the formation of a local steering committee comprising representatives from the Tema Traditional Council, Tema Metro Sports Committee, Kwasi Plange electoral area, GES, Cargill Ghana and the beneficiary school- Mante-Din Basic school, with the responsibility of keeping and maintaining the facility.
The Tema Metropolitan office of the Ghana Education Service, headed by Mrs Bernice Ofori, estimated that over 6,000 children would benefit from the facility which has male and female changing rooms, flood lights, security fencing and accessibility to all persons, including the disabled.
FROM KEN AFEDZI, TEMA
