Accra, June 5, GNA - Rite Multimedia, an Accra based event management company, on Friday launched the first ever community based Under-18 Basketball Competition, dubbed "Community Dunks 2009". The event, which is expected to last 13 weeks with Basketball competitions organized every Friday, at the El-Wak Stadium, will see ten teams from ten communities in Accra competing.

The programme is aimed at unearthing talents in the sport and to provide them with the requisite skills and opportunity to develop their prowess of the sport.

It is also to establish a consistent and competitive basketball tournament in the country, create avenues for professional developments of the sport and give it a commercial relevance. The competition which will run from June 5, to September 4, will have teams from Sakumono, Tema, Ashaiman, Legon, Dansoman, Kaneshie, Nima, Cantonment, James Town and Ridge communities.

Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Minister of Youth and Sports who opened the tournament, commended the organizers for launching the Project.

He said the government is keen in on developing every sporting discipline, since one discipline cannot accommodate the increasing population of the youth in the country.

Alhaji Mubarak said that the Ministry has plans to reintroduce the National Sports Festival, which he explained will be used to identify and develop more talents in all sporting disciplines. Mr Worlanyo Agrah, acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Council (NSC) said the Council in collaboration with the Ghana Basketball Association (GBBA) will initiate a number of projects for the development of the sport in the country.

He said the initiative will include training for coaches, referees and key stakeholders in the development of the game. Yaw Sekyi Chief Executive of the Rite Multimedia said his outfit is bent on sustaining the programme and extending it to the other regions. 05 June 09