Sports

 Korea Paralympic Committee donates 40-seater bus to Accra 2023 Africa Para Games

President of the Profes­sional Golfers Association (PGA) of Ghana, Mr Mark Coffie, has expressed concern on the failure of the sport to receive the needed support.

According to him, the government has failed to give PGA the necessary support unlike other sport disci­plines, forcing them to rely on corpo­rate bodies to host programmes.

“I want to appeal to the govern­ment to turn their eyes on golfers. We have been neglected for far too long and it makes it difficult to come up with events. We have to always depend on corporate entities and a few individuals to be able to stage a competition.”

Speaking at the Road to Obotan Golf Tournament, Cedrella Open Championship currently ongoing at the Safari Valley Golf Course at Adukrom in the Eastern Region, he mentioned that, though not well patronised, many Ghanaian golfers make strides in Africa.

“Let me cite Vincent Torgah, West Africa’s number one pro, who is making Ghana proud on the continent and other interna­tional events.

He is always out there putting Ghana on the map; yet no support comes for him to appreciate his success and the discipline as well. Golfers like him should be attended to, just like the government does for any other sporting act,” he said.

He said the four-day event, which started yesterday, ends on Saturday where golfers will compete in the amateur, regular and seniors category in the second edition. Mr Cofie said that 18 golfers reported on the first day out of over 70 golfers expected and added that a prize money

The Korean National Paralympic Commit­tee (PNPC) yesterday donated an Accessible “VIP” Bus to the African Paralym­pic Committee (APC) for the organisation of the Accra 2023 Africa Paralympic Games.

Korean NPC President Jung Jin-owan made the official announcement at the side-lines of the International Paralym­pic Committee (IPC) General Assembly in Berlin to the Pres­ident of the APC, Mr Samson Deen.

During the meeting, the APC President thanked the officials of the KNPC and assured them of the proper usage of the bus by officials and athletes of the Paralympic movement to develop the sports.

Also present at the meeting were Dr Hayat Catab, APC Vice Presi­dent and Henry Larbi – Administra­tive Assistant at APC Secretariat.

The Korean delegation was led by Jung Jin-owan, who was accom­panied by Dong-Hyan Bae, Vice Chairman of Chan Sung Group and Mr Byung in Kim (BK), Head of Global Strategy at the Korean Paralympic Committee.

Mr Deen is in Berlin, Germany, to attend the 2022 IPC Member­ship Gathering and Extraordinary General Assembly which began yesterday.

APC President would today join a panel discussion on the topic: “Importance of Mentorship from the perspective of the APC (APC) versus outside and what roles do the Regional Organisations play in supporting Mentorship opportuni­ties?”

He will also make a presentation tomorrow to account for his stew­ardship as he marks his first year anniversary as president of APC, the governing body of the Paralym­pic Movement and Para Sports in Africa.

The APC boss will use the op­portunity to outline the road map for the hosting and organisation of the first African Para Games 2023 in Accra, Ghana.

On October 31, last year, Mr Deen was elected at the APC Pres­ident at the APC General Assembly in Rabat, Morocco, after beating his main contender Mr Hamid El Aouni from Morocco.

The APC President is expected back in the country on November 20.

BY LINUS SIAW NARTEY

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