President Mills lauds sports men and women for their achievements

President John Evans Atta Mills has lauded the country’s sports men and women for their achievements in major sports feats that has put the country on a high pedestal.

He, however, said there was the need for the national senior team, the Black Stars to up their game and concentrate on especially, penalty kicks since the country has lost in major moments through missed penalties.

President Mills said these when he delivered his State of the Nation Address at Parliament on Thursday, which was on the theme, “Still building a Better Ghana”.

He said in the course of last year, the Black Stars was rated 14th in the FIFA world rankings and the first in Africa and that has so far been Ghana’s best ranking in world football.

The latest FIFA rankings has put the Black Stars at the 23rd position in the world and second on the African continent.

The President said that even though the Black Stars could not lift the Africa Cup as anticipated at the last Africa Cup of Nations co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, he still wish them the best of luck next time, adding that they still need the support of all Ghanaians to excel in future competitions.

President Mills said it is gratifying that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which had suspended the Ghana Olympic Committee, (GOC) has lifted the ban last August paving the way for Ghana’s participation in the upcoming London 2012 Olympic Games.

He said Ghana is to play host to the second ECOWAS Games in June this year and that calls for the support and participation of all.

The President said another success story of Ghana's sports men and women was at the 10th All Africa Games held in Maputo, Mozambique in September last year, where Team Ghana put up the best performance ever by winning 19 medals.

The National U-23 male football team and their U-20 female counterparts also won gold and silver respectively at the Games.

“On behalf of the people of Ghana, I once again congratulate our gallant sportsmen and women on their fine achievements”, he added.