The Ghana Boxing Authority has confirmed Mr. Samuel Heywood Okine aka ‘General One’ as the Substantive Public Relations Officer of its body after serving as the Acting PRO for some time.
In the letter of appointment dated 9th April, 2021, and signed by the General Secretary Mr. Patrick Johnson, it reads “The Excecutive Board has now appointed you as the substantive Public Relations Officer having acted for a considerable period in the absence of the former P.R.O. Miss. Gifty Naa Darkua Dodoo”.
Mr. Sammy Heywood Okine is undeniably a real media gem with three decades of experience.
Popularly known as the ‘Sports Media General’ he has great passion for all kinds of sports with great information particularly in boxing.
He has held many positions in media such as Associate Editor of BoxingGhana.com, Ghana Country Director for African Sports Media Network, Special Advisor / Director of Women In Sports Association (WISA) and others.
Among other achievements by Mr. Heywood Okine, served as the Deputy General Secretary of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG), Communications Director of Ghana Kickboxing Association and was also the Communications Director of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) until the election of the new executive board.
Mr. Sammy Heywood Okine has in recent times formed media fanbase platforms like the Online Sports Journalists Union (OSJU) and Friends of Boxing (on facebook) out of his passion for sports.
He is currently the Interim President of the Boxing Writers Association of Ghana (BWAG) which was formed just few months ago with him as one of the founding members.
He, together with the Executive Board of the topmost boxing body in Ghana, GBA has in recent times created the GBA website, GBA TV and also proposed a new GBA logo taking Ghana Boxing into the digital space.
In a brief chat with Mr. Heywood Okine on his new appointment, he expressed his gratitude to the board as well as needing support from all stakeholders
“It is a task to serve Ghana Boxing, but with God’s guidance and direction as well as the support of the media especially and all stakeholders in the boxing family, I hope to put our sport and business on a higher level. We also need government and corporate Ghana’s financial backing in the form of sponsorship for our promoters. Thank you to the GBA board led by Lawyer Peter Zwennes and my predecessor, Naa Darkoa Dodoo” he said in an interview.
Mr. Sammy Heywood Okine is a product of Datus, St. Augustine’s College and the Ghana Institute of Journalism. The Producer of ‘On The Ball’ on GTV enjoys juvenile boxing, and serves as a member of Team Prince The Buzz.
He was very instrumental in the promotion of the Bukom Fist of Fury Fight Night Series with Mr. Moses Foe Amoaning.
He has taken many courses in sports journalism and indeed guided a number of young journalists.
We wish him all the best in his new role.
By Elizabeth Alhassan
