Ministry donates wheelchairs to old footballer

Sunyani, Sept. 21, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports on has presented a wheelchair and a cash donation of two million cedis to Mr. Adasi Fofie, a former player of the national team, the Black Stars, at a brief but impressive ceremony at the Sunyani Coronation Park.

Mr. Fofie, in his late sixties and a pioneer player of Sunyani-based Brong-Ahafo United Football Club had his left leg amputated about three years ago at the Sunyani Government Hospital due to a diagnosed cancer problem.

Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) who made the presentation on behalf of the Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu said the gesture was the Ministry's recognition for old sportsmen and women's contributions towards sports in the country.

He said the Minister had personally expressed concern about the living conditions of some old sportsmen and women who showed dedication, committal and sense of nationalism in their approach to sports and won laurels for the nation internationally.

The NSC boss announced that the Ministry was convinced that the strategy it had adopted would boost the morale of current sportsmen and women "to die a little for the prosperity of sports in the country, be it local or international".

He said the Minister recently toured some Regional capitals and met some of such old sportsmen and women and promised them of a better deal by his administration.

Mr. Fofie expressed appreciation to the Ministry for its concern and appealed for assistance for his colleagues most of whom are not in any gainful employment because of old age, to be paid a token money at the end of every month to sustain them.