The Japanese Government through the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) is to provide the country with gym equipment worth 400, 000 dollars to help in the training of sports men and women.

Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council disclosed this at a press briefing to lunch a one-day Judo tournament scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium Sports Hall on Saturday.

He said the total weight of the consignment, which is about 10 tones would arrive soon. The tournament is being organised to mark the 20th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Judo Instructor posted to the Ghana Judo association through JICA's volunteer programme.

Dr Owusu-Ansah said Ghanaian athletes are very skilful but what they lacked is the basic strength, which comes from gym work to help them push through internationally.

He said a similar presentation of Gym equipment worth 300, 000 dollars in 1986 helped sport development tremendously and it was from the use of such equipment that great boxers like Nana Yaw Konadu and Ike Quartey who later dominated the world in their respective weight divisions emerged.

The NSC Boss said Judo apart from being a competitive sport helps to develop other virtues like courage respect and discipline in athletes and thanked the government and people of Japan for their help in sustaining the spirit of the sport in Ghana.

Mr Humphrey Kumah, Programmes Officer of JICA, Ghana, said Judo helps players develop their reflexes and thereby making them alert at all time.

He said the involvement of Japan in the Judo development in Ghana started in 1974 when Japan Foundation sent a Judo Coach to Ghana for a two year programme and it was through this that a number of Ghanaians including Mr Andy Mensah, currently the Technical Director of the Judo Association went to Japan for a ten month training course.

Mr Kumah said since the signing of the first bi-lateral agreement between Ghana and Japan which saw the first instructor arrive in this country in 1982, Japan has always had an instructor in Ghana and currently Mr Koichi Kamohara is the coach of Ghana. He said with the help of JICA judo has spread to other parts of the country where they have held demonstrations. This include places like Tamale, Kumasi, Peki and Tema

"Japanese volunteers have helped the national team win many laurel including a bronze medal at the 7th Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland and a silver and two bronze the Burkina Faso International Competition this year.

" We want Judo to become a top sport in Ghana since the potential to of the sport is great and we are also ready to support it by bringing down more volunteers to teach the sport".