Chief Operating Officer of the Accra 2023 African Games Local Organising Committee (LOC), Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, has been decorated with the prestigious African Sports Management Association (ASMA) Gold Award at the Alisa Hotel in Accra.
He was awarded on Friday in recognition of his immense contribution to “Youth Sports engagement and Sustainable Sports Development.”
President of The Gambia, Adama Barrow, Nigeria’s Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare and his Gambian counterpart Bakary Badjie, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, Nigeria Football Federation’s First Vice-President and Mr Hikabwa Chipande, Africa Union Coordinator of Africa Sports Councils, were also recipients of the award – on different platforms.
Dr Owusu-Ansah was selected among more than 70 of the continent’s finest youth and sports development personalities to win the magnificent prize.
It was an icing an on the cake for the revered 72-year-old Poland-trained sports development colossus whose illustrious career spanned nearly four decades.
Attended by hordes of distinguished personalities including members of the Accra 2023 LOC and Executive Chairman – Dr Kweku Ofosu-Asare, who chaired the historic event, many took turns to eulogise the achievements of Dr Owusu-Ansah, a former Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), now National Sports Authority (NSA).
Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Accra 2023 LOC, Mr Reks Brobby, General Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Charles Osei Asibey, and LOC members including Gorogoroua Ahmed Osumanu Halid Imam Zakaria (who emceed the event), Dr Mrs Beatrice Dwumfour Williams, Ms Joyce Datsa, Lawyer Eva Okyere and Professor Oladele Oladipo of the University of Allied Health and Science (UHAS), among others, waxed lyrical about the celebrant’s feats.
Professor Oluwaseun Omotayo – First Vice President of ASMA (Continental), described Dr Owusu-Ansah as a man of distinction and an Encyclopedia of Sports in Africa – whose works and achievements in sports development deserved to be celebrated.
“Dr Owusu-Ansah earned this award and worked for it,” he said, stressing that he was selected out of more than 70 outstanding names for honour.
“Looking at his staggering profile and all that he has achieved, it was palpably clear that he more than deserved the Gold Award.”
In a long citation during his coronation, Prof Omotayo said the sports development world was fascinated by Dr Owusu-Ansah’s advocacy to demilitarise sports with new jargons, “proposing that instead of captain of a team, we use “prefect or leader,” instead of “Tug of War,” we use “Tug of Peace, etc.”
In his acceptance speech, Dr Owusu-Ansah said he was humbled by the award but insisted the best was yet to come.
He was grateful to his wife – Mrs Florence Owusu-Ansah and his three children (who were at the event), acknowledging them as pillars “that have supported and sustained my trajectory path to success.”
He said his entire life had been dedicated to sports participation and sports development – and would continue to do more for sports.
Dr Owusu-Ansah, who intimated that he chose sports as a career against the wishes of his parents and friends, advised athletes to dash for sport disciplines or fields that they were profoundly talented in so as to be able to produce the best.
Among his rich credentials, Dr Owusu-Ansah – a former national chief athletics coach – who authored the bestseller, Principles of Abundant Living, is credited for initiating the establishment of the Department of Sports Studies at the College of Education at the University of Ghana.
He was the Director of the Sports Directorate of the University of Ghana, Legon, and at the international level, served as member of the ECOWAS Body of Sports Experts, who prepared the ECOWAS Sports Policy. He was also a Member of the African Union Team of Sports Experts who prepared the 10-year Sport Development Policy for Sustainable Development of Sport in Africa, among others.
BY JOHN VIGAH
