Distinguished sports personalities to be honoured

Accra, Nov 9, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) has directed the National Sports Council (NSC) to institute an Annual District Sports Award scheme to honour the country's distinguished past and present sports personalities at the grassroots level.

The scheme aimed at rewarding sports personalities who have excelled on both the local and international front is to serve us a moral booster to the youth.

Subsequently, the ministry has therefore instituted the annual national award to honour sportsmen and women who won laurels for Ghana at major international competitions.

The maiden event billed for November 20 at Alisa Hotel in Accra would honour sports heroes and heroines since the time of independence to date.

Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of MEYS at press briefing on Tuesday said the recipients would be drawn from sports personalities who won gold medals at the All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games or any medal from bronze to gold at the Olympic games, the World Cup or any international Championship.

The Deputy Minister said sports administrators and technical personnel whose acts and thoughts have impacted positively on the nation's sports would also receive recognition on the night. He said the ministry as part of the event has pencilled out certain sports facilities to be named after some heroes and heroines. Mr Aggrey said the awards ceremony will not be a nine-day wonder and pledged that the ministry was determined to make it an annual affair to honour sports performers, philanthropists, officials and all major players in the industry.