The first and youngest Ghanaian titled chess player, Philip Selikem Amoako, last week conducted a training programme for some members of the Greater AccraChildren’s Library.
The session was organised by the National Library Authority (NLA)and the chess prodigy as they sought to stimulate the interest of kids towards the sport.
According to Selikem, the session was the first of many to come and also hinted that there had been several engagements with the Ministry of Education (MoE) in a bid to extend the sport to the schools.
The Head of the Children’sLibrary, Ms Dora Allotey, disclosed that Selikem was a member of the library, hence, the need for this session to stimulate the interest of the kids.
She added that chess was not only a game to be played for fun but could be played at an international level.
Ms Allotey said there are several activities that occur at the library but “we have decided to publicise this event to get more children involved.”
She explained that chess”improves self-confidence, increases attention span, memory capacity and cognitive skills such as concentration, pattern recognition, decision making, problem solving and critical thinking.
BY JESSEL LARTEY THERSON-COFIE
