GHALCA calls for adequate support for amputee football clubs
The Chairman of the Ghana Amputee League Clubs Association (GHALCA), Mr. Bawa Sambian Abdalla has called on government and stakeholders in the sports value chain to support the Association in its sporting activities particularly soccer.
He said GHALCA is a body comprising of registered Football Clubs specifically for persons with amputation in the sports fraternity who have played a significant role in the National Disability Day celebration in the country since the year 2007.
The Chairman said the Association in collaboration with the National Sports Authority (NSA) in partnership with the National Paralympic Committee organised a well-attended Gala and embark also on a regional tour to recruit and train amputee football players and engage in a media encounter programme as part of the effort to create more awareness on the need to enhance amputees football across the country.
Mr. Bawa Abdalla made the call during a soccer activity (Gala) in Accra with the Association quest to bring to the fore the potentials and talents that persons living with disabilities can unearth in football and other related sports careers.
The day celebration was held under the theme, “Break Barriers, Open Doors to Realise an Inclusive Society for All” in Accra and geared towards the promotion and understanding of disability issues and challenges and to mobilise support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities to mark Ghana’s National Day for the Rights of PWDs.
He revealed that several training programmes have been lined up, including courses for technical persons like coaches, referees and masseurs, among others, to develop their capacity to handle the players.
“The Association is working diligently and making fervent inputs after the National Disability Rights Day in the drive to create a platform for government to adequately invest in amputees sports including people with disabilities who are among the most disadvantaged people in the country” he said and explained further that PWDs do not benefit immensely from employment opportunities, healthcare, access to education among others and urged government to address these rising challenges.
Mr. Sambien urged players in the sports sector to collectively work together to improve the quality of life of PWDs adding that barriers hindering their growth and development be eliminated to enable them achieve their full potentials.
“Swift measures and structures be put in place by government to demonstrate true commitments associated with initiatives and programmes to support people living with disabilities”, he stressed and again urged government, corporate bodies, benevolent societies, philanthropists to support GHALCA to achieve its vision and mission.
Principal Sports Development Officer of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Mr. Hubert Leo-Mensah, who represented the Director General of the Authority, congratulated those who made the day possible in spite of challenges at the amputee football front, promising the support of NSA towards such events.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of GHALCA, Madam Christian Nkrumah, thanked the sponsors, especially Mr. Samson Deen, President of the National Paralympic Committee (NPC), who is also President of the African Paralympic Committee (APC), for their tremendous support.
The Disability Day was marked across the nation with different programmes and GHALCA took the opportunity to organize a gala for six club, Gye Nyame, Ayawaso, Asanteman, Amugisco and Kumapem and All Stars Amputee Football clubs. All stars was a combined team of all stars.
The gala was sponsored by African Origin Travels and Sports Tourism with support from Talent Hour Disability Show, Blue Skies, MC-BBPhylls Consult and Ernestay Disability and Sports Foundation.
Source: Ben LARYEA/johnawuniktv@gmail.com
