Dzodze: Mr Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff, has emphasized the importance of guiding young athletes to balance their sporting talents with education, highlighting that the future belongs to those who combine skill with knowledge. Delivering a speech on his behalf at the Seventh Annual Duamenefa Regional Sports Tournament and Durbar held at Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Presidential Envoy in charge of Interfaith and Ecumenical Affairs, stressed that sports and education should complement each other.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Ankrah noted that young sports talents in Ghana should be encouraged to pursue education alongside their athletic ambitions to prepare them for leadership roles beyond the field. He called for greater investment in education, leadership, and technical training to empower the youth of the Volta Region to contribute meaningfully to national decision-making and development, not just compete on the pitch.
Mr. Debrah commended the Duamenefa Foundation for using sports as a vehicle to promote peace, unity, and development. He remarked that the country needs peace not only during elections but also in general, and sports and culture should be harnessed to heal divisions and strengthen national cohesion.
The Volta Regional Representative on the Council of State and CEO of the Tanko Foundation, H.E. Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atople, reaffirmed his Foundation’s commitment to the Duamenefa vision of using sports for community and human development. He urged philanthropists, corporate institutions, and political leaders to support the initiative, emphasizing unity among the people of the Volta Region.
Mr James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister, commended the Foundation’s vision and pledged his support, highlighting the importance of such initiatives in transforming the sports landscape and infrastructure of the region. The Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Mr. Eric Edem Agbana, also pledged his commitment to sports development, assuring continued efforts to scout and nurture young talents in Ketu North and across the Volta Region.
Evangelist Emmanuel Ketaman Evortepe, CEO and Executive President of the Duamenefa Foundation, recounted the Foundation’s achievements, including securing opportunities for young players to join foreign clubs and providing scholarships for education and skills development. He expressed gratitude to the Tanko Foundation, Sesi-Edem Group of Companies, and government officials for their continuous support, revealing that land has been secured for constructing an AstroTurf stadium.
The Duamenefa Foundation, under the Sesi-Edem Company Limited and in collaboration with the Tanko Foundation, has promoted peace and unity through sports across the Volta Region and beyond for seven years, with a membership exceeding 48,000. This year’s event, themed ‘Creating a Society for Equal, Fair and Equitable Access to Basic Necessities,’ aimed to raise funds for constructing an AstroTurf in the southern part of the region. The tournament featured various sports, with Aflao-Viepe Football Club defeating Banana Inn FC from Accra 2-1 in the grand finale to lift the trophy. Individuals and institutions who distinguished themselves in the tournament’s history were honored with medals, citations, sewing machines, and other prizes.