Special Olympics Ghana (SOGh), at the weekend signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Inclusion Ghana (IG), for strengthening complementary provisions services to persons with intellectual disabilities.

Both SOGh and IG are non-governmental organisations providing services to persons with intellectual disabilities in Ghana, hence sharing of cross cutting goals and objectives.

Chairman of SOGh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Augustine Kokukokor (RTD), said intellectual disability is one of the several disabilities affecting the lives of a cross section of Ghanaian families.

He explained that in most cases persons with intellectual disabilities are marginalised and not catered for in terms of development of their full potential in spite of the efforts being made through both the school system and out of school programmes.

“It is for this reason that SOGh and IG have agreed to work together in a bid to develop the full potential of persons with intellectual disabilities through sports,” he said.

He noted that, SOGh has introduced unified sports activities in all schools in Ghana, inclusive of persons with and without intellectual disabilities and sensitise Special Olympics athletes in the community.

ACP Kokukokor explained that SOGh would also provide year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.

He added that this would give them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other special athletes and community.

He said: “We are doing all these to make persons with intellectual disabilities useful to themselves, their families, the community and the nation at large primarily through sports.”

He said some of the activities of SOGh and IG are based on family members and guardians or foster parents of persons with intellectual disabilities.

“It is this component which gives both organisations access to these persons.” The National Coordinator of Inclusion Ghana, Mr Auberon Jeleel Odoom said his organisation is happy to partner with SOGh for the wonderful programme since it would reduce stigmatisation among persons with intellectual disabilities.

He said the partnership would enable persons with intellectual disabilities to take an active part in community life and begin to change the overall perception in the society about intellectual disability.