Sports Minister Hon. Mustapha Ussif’s Full Speech At The AfPC Regional Sports Training Program in Accra

SPEECH BY THE HONOURABLE MUSTAPHA USSIF (MP) MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS ON FRIDAY 16TH JUNE 2023 AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE AfPC REGIONAL SPORTS TRAINING AT ACCRA CITY HOTEL, ACCRA-GHANA.

MR. SAMSON DEEN, THE PRESIDENT, AFRICAN PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE AND NATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE OF GHANA;
EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS, NPC-GHANA.
IPC STAFF – NYASHA MHARAKURWA AND ISNAR VERA
THE LOC ACCRA 2023 AFRICAN PARA GAMES
AfPC COURSE INSTRUCTORS.
AfPC COURSE PARTICIPANTS.
INVITED GUEST;
MEDIA; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

Good morning to you all, and warm greetings from my Ministry, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana, I welcome you all to Accra for the four days of AfPC Regional Sports Training.

It is my pleasure and singular honour to be given this opportunity to open this critical event, the AfPC Regional Sports Training Program, today, the 16th day of June 2023, at the Accra City Hotel in Accra, Ghana.

Mr. President, let me take this opportunity to acknowledge the African Paralympic Committee, The National Paralympic Committee of Ghana, the World Para Powerlifting Organization (WPPO) and World Para Volleyball (WPV) for facilitating this training Programme by bringing together over 100 participants from across 15 different African countries.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Africa Paralympic Committee, its world governing body and the various international sports federations have continued to be strong partners to Ghana. This partnership will go a long way to facilitate the development and accelerate the growth of Para Sports in Ghana and all parts of Africa.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports is very much aware of the potential of sports in creating opportunities for the citizens, especially the youth.

Therefore, the Ministry sees this Regional Programme as very important and a catalyst for the capacity development of all participants with the appropriate knowledge and skills needed for para sports development and promotion on our continent.

Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, in a few months, the Republic of Ghana will host the rest of Africa in the 1st African Para Games, Accra 2023, the first of its kind in Africa.
I am not surprised that Ghana was chosen to host this technical training, thus helping train and prepare various technical personnel for the Games. I commend the organizers for this decision.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as we prepare towards the Games, I wish on behalf of the President, government, and the good people of the Republic of Ghana to invite you all and look forward to seeing you all again in Ghana come September for the Accra 2023 African Para Games.

Once again, I thank the African Paralympic Committee, IPC Staff here, WPPO, WPV, and NPC-Ghana for making this AfPC Regional program possible.

On this note, I am honoured to officially declare the four days of Regional Sports Training duly opened.

Thank you.