THE
Second ECOWAS U-23 Games earlier scheduled for June 2 to 8 in Accra,
Ghana, will now take place from June 16 to 22 due to logistics reasons.The
new dates were agreed during a courtesy call by the ECOWAS Commissioner
for Human Development and Gender, Dr. Adrienne Diop, on Ghana’s
Minister of Youth and Sports, Clement Kofi Humado, last Friday.The
minister expressed Ghana’s appreciation to ECOWAS for accepting the new
dates and acknowledged the country’s commitment to a successful hosting
of the biennial sporting competition in athletics, handball,
volleyball, traditional wrestling and boxing, which will be featuring
for the first time.On her part, Diop expressed confidence in
Ghana’s ability to host the Games, noting that this would contribute to
the attainment of regional integration objectives. She assured the
minister of ECOWAS’ readiness to assist Ghana to host a successful
tourney.The commissioner’s visit took place during a three-day
meeting of the Games’ Monitoring and Supervisory Committee, which began
last week. The committee comprises, among others, the presidents of the
West African federations of the five sports featuring in the tourney,
representatives of the ECOWAS Commission and the Ouagadougou-based
ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Centre, which is coordinating the
Games on behalf of the commission.At the opening of the meeting,
Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah,
briefed members of the committee on the state of preparations,
challenges and support needed to ensure a hitch-free competition. He
also proposed a shift in the Games’ calendar for the committee’s
consideration.In his remarks, the Director of the ECOWAS Youth
and Sports Development Centre, Francis Chuks Njoaguani, promised that
the request for date change would be conveyed to the appropriate
authorities of the commission, just as he reaffirmed confidence in
Ghana’s determination and ability to organise the Games successfully,
adding that ECOWAS was impressed with the country’s commitment.Members
of the committee later undertook an inspection tour of the facilities
and discussed other issues related to Ghana’s readiness for the Games,
especially in terms of meeting international standards. Nigeria hosted
the inaugural edition of the U-23 regional tourney in 2010 with
competitions in four sports – athletics, handball, volleyball and
traditional wrestling.It is expected to promote and enhance
sports as a means of uniting and encouraging the youth in West Africa to
progress through balanced development. The competition also provides a
forum for interaction among West African youths, strengthens sporting
and economic ties between member-states and promotes a sense of
belonging among participants.In addition, this year’s Games would
serve as a good platform for West African sportsmen and women to
prepare for the London Olympics taking place later in the year.