Sammy Heywood Okine Appointed GBA Substantive Public Relations Officer

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 Executive 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 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

Ghanaian sprinter, Josephine Anokye, took to the tracks on Saturday for her first outdoor sprint races of the season strong performances in both the 100m and the 200m races at the Jim Click Shootout Meet in Arizona, USA.

The Arizona State University student clocked a new Personal Best time of 11.40s in the 100m (+0.7m/s) before clocking a 23.00s (+0.4m/s) flat in her favored 200m event.

Her 100m time also catapults her into the top 40 fastest women over the event so far this season and shoots her up to 5th on the all time list at ASU.

The 200m time equaled her Personal Best in the event, which she set in qualifying for the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha. It ranks 10th in the US so far this season.

She did not compete a the event due to injury, which has battled for the last two years.

But she has gradually regained her fitness in anticipation for a qualification for the Tokyo Olympics later in the summer.

Last week, she jogged to a 53.55s clocking in the 400m, an experimental race considering she sees herself more as a 100m and 200m runner.

With the Tokyo qualification standard set at 22.80s for the 200m, Anokye’s work is cut out for her over the next three months as she tries to make the mark for this summer’s big showpiece.

Source - CitiSports

Switzerland’s Patrick Schön and Austria’s Mia Liepert successfully defended the Tennis Foundation Ghana ITF J5 Accra Open boys and girls singles titles respectively this weekend at the National Tennis Centre, Accra.

After successfully winning the Boys and Girls Tennis Foundation Ghana ITF 5 Accra first week titles, Mia Liepert and Patrick Schön continued their dominance in the second week with Patrick Schön defeating Israel’s Gur Trakhtenberg 6-4, 6-3 to win the boy’s singles title and Mia also beating Diana Maria Ilie 7-4, 6-1.

Patrick becomes the second player to win the title back to back after France’s Mathis Bondaz won it two consecutive times in April 2019.

Patrick tried to avoid long points by employing the odd drop-shot but that helped Gur to level at 3-3 .A fascinating opening set could have swung either way, but it was the defending champion Schön, who edged it when he unpicked Gur’s serve again in the 7th game to win the set 6-4.

There was a brief glimmer of hope at 30-30 in the seventh game of the second set, but Schön held for 5-3 prodding his temple with his finger to emphasise his mental toughness. Schön sealed the set with a crunching forehand which Gur could not handle.

The girl’s final had Austria’s Mia Liepert cementing her place as the outstanding star of the girl’s game by beating Diana Maria Ilie 7-5 6-1 in the final to win her second ITF title.

In the doubles events, Mia Liepert again partnered Denmark’s Divine Dasam Nweke to beat Romanian duo Diana Maria Ilie and Andra Izabella Sirbu 6-3, 6-1.

Ghana’s Desmond Ayaaba paired with Togo’s Hod’abalo Isak Padio and proved their resilience by winning the Tennis Foundation Ghana ITF J5 Accra Boy’s doubles title, beating William Alsterback from Sweden & Bon Lou Karstens from Germany 6-4, 6-2.

The two- week events were sponsored by Tennis Foundation Ghana, Second Serve Tennis Shop, Hollard Insurance, Beebies Event, Nii Noi CanDo and Mcdan AfWest Security.

Story: Gabriel Amoakoh (Ghana Tennis)

Ghanaian sprinter, Joseph Paul Amoah, has opened his outdoor season in the sprints with wind-aided fast times in the 100m and 200m events at the Aggie Invitational in North Carolina on Saturday.

Amoah, who has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, won the 100m race with a 10.00s flat run, backed by a strong 3.0m/s wind.

While the time is a new Personal Best for the Coppin State University graduate, it will not count because the wind speed exceeds the permitted limit of 2.0m/s. His PB remains at 10.01s, which he ran to qualify for the Olympics in June 2019.

In the same race, countryman Joseph Manu also clocked 10.28s running for Coppin State University to finish 3rd.

In the 200m at the same event, the 24 year old former Prempeh College student stopped the clock at 20.36s, also wind-aided at 3.2m/s. Amoah is the Ghanaian record holder in the men’s 200m with a 20.08s clocking achieved in June 2019.

Amoah was supposed to open his outdoor season two weeks ago but it was delayed as a result of a hamstring injury.

He did compete in an experimental 400m last week, where he finished with a 47.64s clocking.

The Ghana Athletics Association will be happy Amoah is finally back on track. A key member of Ghana’s 4x100m relay team, the GAA will be hopeful he stays fit enough to lead the team for an Olympic qualification bid at the world relays in Poland at the beginning of May.

Compatriot, Benjamin Azamati started the outdoors in blistering fashion, setting a national record in the 100m two weeks ago.

Source – CitiSports

Ghana Badminton Association, the national governing and supervisory body of Badminton sport in Ghana, has announced  that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Education’s Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Sports (HPERS) Department. 

At a signing ceremony at the University of Education, Winneba the MOU will establish and undertake cooperative programmes in the areas of badminton research, badminton university course, training,  scholarships, technical  and  physical  education  for  athletes and technical development in sport management, and administration.

Following the announcement, Ghana Badminton President Evans Yeboah said: “Our collaboration with the University of Education is another great step forward for Ghana Badminton’s  growth.

We  are  hopeful about his development  and the partnership  with the University is in line with our 2024 strategic growth of building partnerships with educational institutions in the country. This MOU agreement will not only promote educational research and sports development for Ghana Badminton ecosystem but offers opportunities and access for  our  Badminton  World  Federation  (BWF)  University  course  for  the  students  at  the University.”

The Ghana Badminton’s  BWF Shuttle Time University Course on graduation will offer two national  and  International  Certification to  HPERS  students  at  the  university,  while  as  the national federation we will provide the knowledge and support required to deliver fun, safe, and enjoyable badminton lessons assisting the university and college students undertaking to teach physical education and sports-related courses at the University of Education, Winneba.

The University of Education HPERS Head of Department, Dr Ernest Yeboah Acheampong commented: “This MOU brings together our expanding core values as a sports department of the University of Education.

This partnership includes the exchange of expertise, programmes, training and helping our University students with a leap head in research, sports management with  a  well-organised  national  sporting  association.

Already  the  BWF  Research  Grant  is something we look forward to some of our students to identify themselves with Badminton related research  proposals. We have also availed our facilities and  management with the national association, and we will want to work with the best in sports management and Ghana

Badminton Association delights us to have this agreement in place. We’re looking forward to working alongside the Ghana Badminton offering as the first-ever sporting association in this mammoth collaboration for our mutual benefit.”  

A Senior lecturer at the HPERS Department, Prof. Humphrey Pufaa also shared his highlights on the need for national associations to partner  with University’s  for scientific methods of approach and guidance in benefiting from the accredited programmes that the Universities offer, he was elated about this beginning path between the two organisations. The Shuttle Time University Course had grown its popularity mainly in the Pan Am region, with 68% of the courses delivered, followed by 29% delivered in Europe and 3% in Asia regions.

With the  spurring growth of  Badminton Sport,  the University of Education will be  the  first University in Africa in the last decade to run the national and international Badminton Course and are on the road to be globally accredited for the teaching of Badminton in a university.  

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Communications & Media Team Mobile:  +233  24  983  5128   +233  54  203  2422   +233     24  231  6886   +233  24  402 5909  +233   24 011 5820

About Ghana Badminton Association

We are Ghana Badminton, the Governing Body of Badminton in Ghana formed in 1972 and affiliated  to  the  Badminton  Confederation  of  Africa,  International  Olympic  Committee  and International Paralympic Committee through the Badminton World Federation The unique qualities of badminton make it accessible and enjoyable for anyone and everyone. And we  work collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to  provide traditional and innovative opportunities for all to be involved; from Basic, Senior High and Tertiary School programs to seniors and Veterans social badminton, from School, community, and regional clubs and our national class coaching development to the delivery of our major events.  With Olympic success at the heart of our ambitions, we are investing our knowledge and expertise in rebuilding build a quality future for our sport by strengthening and developing the domestic game and developing talent to achieve success on the international stage, inspiring the next generation of players and local fans, and corporate community.  

With thousands of Ghanaians playing every year, badminton is looking forward to being the nation’s favourite racket sport by 2022. We want to inspire everyone to play more, support louder and love badminton, from this generation to the next as the world’s fastest racket sport.

Source -.ghanabadminton.org

Three former Ghanaian Athletics Champions; Mike Ahey, Oko Addy and Ohene Karikari, the first Ghanaian to win an international medal outside Ghana have received gifts from Adidas and GNPC.

The athletics trio who have been backing the programme were honoured for their contribution to Ghana sports, especially athletics last Saturday at the Legon Sports Stadium, during the Accra Open of the 2021 GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human Competition.

Mike Ahey was 1962 Commonwealth Gold Medalist and multiple Commonwealth Silver 4x100 relay medalist.

Ebenezer Charles Oko Addy took over and became 1966 Commonwealth Gold Medalist in the 4x100 relay.

Ohene Karikari was the 1974 Commonwealth Bronze medalist in the 100 meters and the ONLY Ghanaian 100 meter runner to have ever won a medal outside Africa.

The former athletes felt content and elated after the presentation from Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare, Executive Chairman of the  2023 African Games Local Organsing Committe.

Mr. Reks Brobbey, brain behind the Ghana’s Fastest Concept said Ghana once ruled the world in sprints, but now attention and focus is on football which is taking all the budget for sports.

He appealed to sports authorities to bring back the love for Athletics.

Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh called on sports events organisers to involve the media to attract eye balls and attract sponsors. He commended Reks Brobbey and the products of the concept.

He hinted that the youth will benefit and GNPC is always ready to support a good course, like the Speedsters Club.

Present at the Legon UG Sports Stadium were the Special Guest of Honour, Secretary of the President of Ghana Nana Bediatuo Asante, Minister of Youth & Sports Hon. Mustapha Ussif, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare Executive Chairman of the LOC for the 2023 African Games, Mr. Ahmed of the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh General Manager Sustainability GNPC,  Mr. K.B. Asante MD of Ghana Gas,  the Guest of Honour, Mr. Sandy Agyeman, Mr. George Lutterodt, Mr. and Miss Ghana 2020.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Boxing Authotity GBA has placed bans on two boxers, Richard Commey and Richard Harrison for different  offences.

The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) has imposed a two-year ban on Richard O. Commey, former International Boxing Federation (IBF) Lightweight Champion in connection with false accusations and disparaging remarks he made about the GBA Executive in an interview with Kpalogo Mashi TV in the United States of America (USA).

A letter to Commey signed by Mr. Peter Zwenes, President of the GBA said, “the GBA hereby imposes on you a total ban from all GBA organised functions and related activities for a period of two years commencing on March 31, 2021”.

This means Commey, would for the next two years not be allowed to stage any fight in Ghana, attend any GBA organized fights, and activities in Ghana.

The letter said, “it is hoped that the haughty and arrogant posture that you have adopted towards fellow members of the boxing fraternity in recent times would cease in the aftermath of the decision”.

According to the GBA President, the decision follows proceedings of the GBA Disciplinary Committee held on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.

It said the GBA took cognizance of Commey’s admittance of guilt, the apology rendered as well as the intervention of Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse in mitigation of his sentence.

Richard Harrison Lartey seemed like he was about to be Ghana’s biggest heavyweight sell to the rest of the boxing world, but a chain of defeats and falsification seem to have bundled all that into a ditch.

The heavyweight boxer has been banned for five years by the GBA, an action that will be circulated to all its affiliated international sanctioning bodies including the WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF. He used fraudulent means to honour his last bout in the UK and will serve this punishment which takes retrospective effect from March 11, 2021.

Richard Lartey Harrison was found to have forged a release letter from the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) with a forged signature of the GBA Secretary-General, Patrick Johnson, for his bout with Fabio Wardley in the UK on November 21, 2020. He lost that bout by a second-round TKO.

Subsequently, he refused to appear before the Ghana Boxing Authority, after he was summoned on three occasions – November 26 and 30, 2020 and March 9, 2021.

His career has surely ground to a halt with this development. 

Richard Harrison Lartey defeated Burkina Faso’s Boniface Kabore to annex the WBO Africa title in August 2018. He successfully defended it against Kenya’s Morris Okolla.

The Ghanaian suffered a fourth-round KO at the Wembley Arena in London for the vacant WBO global heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois.

He lost against Nathan Gorman and Fabio Wardley.

In the last two years, the heavyweight has had some major disagreements with his promoters and managers, Cabic Promotions, headed by Ghanaian businessman, Ivan Bruce-Cudjoe. The disagreements ranged from percentages from his purses from some of his fights to contractual breaches.

This beef degenerated into episodes of allegations against his promoters on media platforms. Cabic Promotions at a point resorted to legal action after it was found out that Lartey had negotiated a fight with Frank Warren’s Queensberry promotions, without their knowledge.

Cabic Promotions eventually allowed Lartey to honour the fight after he agreed to certain conditions. The Accra -based, heavyweight has a record of 14 wins and four losses.

From Sammy Heywood Okine

Winner of the Women’s Seniors Race of the Accra Open of the GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human Competition, Kate Agyeman says her dream to participate at the Olympic Games is still on and she wants to make a big name for herself and Ghana.

The sprinting princess who ran 12 secs to beat Grace Obour and others said the final race at Legon was hot but not fast, as she has been running under 12 secs and hopes to better her time.

The University of Development Studies (UDS) student commended the other contestants and the organisers of the GNPC Ghana’s Fastest programme which has unearth many athletics talents.

She also thanked the sponsors and media who supported to make the event possible.

She prays to be in the Ghana team for the sprints especially the 100 meters female relay squad.

Kate Agyeman promised to show up to improve her time at the final meet in Kumasi on May 15, 2021.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Accra Open Meet of the 2021 GNPC Ghana’s Fastest Human Competition attracted a lot of special guests and dignitaries and all the athletes put up great performances with rising stars Kate Agyeman of UDS and Edwin Gadayi from Kumasi picking up the top first positions in the seniors races.

Both members of the GNPC Speedsters Club really had stiff challenge from other finalists but came out victories. While Kate Agyeman did 12secs in fighting neck to neck with hot favourite Grace Obour (12.16secs)  and Janet Mensah (12.34secs) who placed third in the females hot race, Gadayi had to use all his speed and strength to run 10.56secs to beat contenders Sarfo Ansah (10. 60secs) and Solomon Hammond of the University of Ghana (10.86secs ).

16 year old Benedict Kwartemaa aka ‘Jetter’ of Okess SHS who won the U18 Girls was also a delight to watch as she blasted past her rivals in 12. 26secs. Deborah Acheampong did 12.51secs to place second and Felicia Awuni was timed 12.74secs.

Ashanti Region’s Eku Gabriel Fletcher won the Boys U18 in 10.91secs. followed by Adisco rising star, Abdul Razak from Cape Coast in 11.05secs and William Opare also came in 11.76secs.

Disables athletes, Raphael Botsyo Nkegbe and Atsu Maclean who are preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Game also thrilled guests with the Wheelchair Race.

All the winners were presented with certificates and prizes.

The occasion was used to honour three former Ghanaian Athletics Champions; Mike Ahey, Okoe Addy and Ohene Karikari, the first Ghanaian to win an international race outside Ghana. They received gifts from Adidas and GNPC.

Mr. Reks Brobbey, brain behind the Ghana’s Fastest Concept said Ghana once ruled the world in sprints, but now attention and funds are on football.

He appealed to sports authorities to bring back the love for Athletics. 

Present at the Legon UG Sports Stadium were the Special Guest of Honour, Secretary of the President of Ghana Nana Bediatuo Asante, Minister of Youth & Sports Hon. Mustapha Ussif, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare Executive Chairman of the LOC for the 2023 African Games, Mr. Ahmed of the Ministry of Youth & Sports, Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh General Manager Sustainability GNPC,  Mr. K.B. Asante MD of Ghana Gas,  the Guest of Honour, Mr. Sandy Agyeman, Mr. George Lutterodt, Mr. and Miss Ghana 2020.

Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh called on sports events organisers to involve the media to attract eye balls and attract sponsors.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Youth and Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif (Hon.), on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, hosted Executive Council of the Ghana Football Association at his office in Accra. The meeting was to welcome the new Sports Minister to his new role and also to discuss issues of mutual benefits.

Mustahpa Ussif (Hon.), Member of Parliament for the Yagaba-Kubori Constituency in the North East Region of Ghana took over as Youth and Sports Minister in March 2021 as replacement for Isaac Asiamah (Hon.)

"We were all curious to know what to expect after your appointment and obviously we got ourselves into meetings and our singular pledge from one day one has been to offer you undiluted support in your tenure as the sector Minister’’ President Simeon-Okraku said during the meeting.

"Indeed giving the power of football, football can be troublesome and if it is that football is against a Minister, there is trouble. But we have vowed and at least since October 2019, we have always stayed with the sector Minister, true and true, from the former Minister to your good self.

"We are also very much aware that the football industry is a capital intensive industry, for which reason our small and tight sports economy alone cannot support our intentions and our policies, for which reason it’s always important that the football sector gives the Ministry the needed support and vice versa.

"In that light we shall offer you an undiluted support and we also expect that you will show this family good support.

"The football is so strong to impact positively on the youth of this country because obviously football is a youth sport and it’s important that we don’t only protect the future of our youth but also prepare them for life after the sport.

"We will work closely with you. The industry has loads of needs, for the masses, winning of trophies is paramount, capacity building is paramount, infrastructure is paramount but we all have to work together to get the desired results’’ President Simeon-Okraku added

President Kurt E.S Okraku led the delegation. Others included Vice President Mark Addo, Dr. Randy Abbey, Dr. Tony Aubyn, Frederick Acheampong and Nana Sarfo Oduro.

The rest were Madam Habiba Atta Forson, George Amoako, Samuel Anim Addo and Linford Asamoah. Deputy General Secretary Alex Asante, Technical Director Bernard Lippert and Director of Communications Henry Asante Twum were part of the GFA delegation.

For his part, Youth and Minister Mutapha Ussif (Hon.) assured that his office is ready to offer the Football industry the needed support to deliver.

"I am extremely happy to host you today at my office. There are three things on my heart that I want to achieve as a Sports Minister and with your support; I know we can achieve them, Hon Ussif said.

"My aim is to revive competitions at the school and colleges level and I have already written to the Education Minister to help me set up a technical committee for that purpose.

"As a Minister, I should set objectives and work towards it so the Africa Cup of Nations is my next target. It is the dream of H.E Nana Akufo Addo, President of Ghana to win the AFCON and as a Minister, whatever we require to win the trophy, let’s start working on it now.

"The next thing is to qualify for the World Cup in 2022. We have done it before and we can do it again

"I am ready; the way to go is to invest in the game and I can assure you that my Ministry will give you the needed push to succeed’’ the Hon. Minister added.

The Youth and Sports Ministry was represented by Alhaji Hafiz Adam, Chief Director, Emmanuel Oteng, Chief Accountant, Professor Peter Twumasi, Director General of the National Sports Authority and Kenneth Annang, Public Relations Officer.

There will be further engagements in the coming days to build on the relationship and to strategize and plan for upcoming International competitions.

GFA COMMUNICATIONS