The 47th MTN Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards has been launched in Accra yesterday on the theme, “Honouring Sports Excellence.”
The event, slated for January next year, would witness 25 individual awards, 10 special awards as well as the President’s Special Award for the Best Journalist of the Year.
Speaking at the launch of the event, President of SWAG Mr Kwabena Yeboah, called on corporate entities to come on board to support the event which had been the longest awards ceremony in the country.
“It has been difficult to organise and sustain the event on yearly basis and I commend headline sponsors MTN for their support over the years,” he stated.
He disclosed that SWAG would be welcoming Adamus Mining Resources as a co-sponsor to help maintain the high standards and quality of the awards.
“In the coming days, we would also be reaching out to businesses and organisations to yet again support us to carry out this important national assignment,” he stated.
Mr Yeboah said the event was shifted from December to January to make way for the World Cup with the hope of Ghana making an impact at the Mundial.
The Senior Manager, Corporate Communications at MTN, Mrs Georgina Fiagbenu, expressed their commitment towards the awards, adding that their package for the event would soon be announced.
She also commended SWAG for sustaining the event on a yearly basis and advised for more creativity to be employed in the recognition of sportsmen and women in the country.
“We need to be more creative in the way we honour heroes in the country and that would require all stakeholders to come on board to support,” she stated.
Awarding and recognising excellence in sports she said, would go a long way to motivate young ones to excel in their endeavours.
“Failing to award and celebrate people for their efforts, especially on the national and international stages, would rather demoralise our sportsmen and women,” she stressed.
For her part, Communications Advisor, Media Relations at MTN, Afua Serwaa Boateng, added that the sports calender for the year had been very busy with many sportsmen and women putting in efforts to make the nation proud.
“In view of that, it is important for them to be awarded as we also look forward to a very successful World Cup participation by the Black Stars of Ghana,” she stated.
A nine-member committee set up by SWAG had been working with the national federations on the nominations which would be announced in December 31.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
