Ghana's VP urges unity among athletics fraternity

ACCRA, march 15 (Xinhua) -- Ghana's Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday launched the seventh edition of 'Ghana's Fastest Human', a sprint competition targeted at unearthing talents to represent the country at the Olympic Games and other major international events.

The athletics program, which runs from march to September each year, is sponsored by the state-run National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

Bawumia called on all stakeholders to put national interest above personal desires in order to help the nation recapture its lost athletic glory.

Ghana was the African beacon for athletics in the 1950s through to the early 1990s, winning several international medals. However, the West African country has struggled to make an impression over the past few decades due to a number of factors, including in-fighting at the Ghana Olympic Committee and the Ghana Athletics Association (GAA).

According to the vice president, Ghana's presence at international games can be felt only if the country puts in place a pragmatic talent development pathway policy and programs that are consistent with global best practices in talent identification and development, this, he added, should be operationalized by a dedicated leadership team that is working coherently to achieve a common goal; a goal that brings glory and honor to the country.

"The team that we would depend on would be the GAA, and I enjoin all in the association to put the national interest above personal interest. That is the only way we are going to achieve our goal, so work together as a team and put Ghana first," Bawumia said.

So far, over 50 Ghanaian athletic talents have received scholarships to school and to train abroad, while others continue to receive training locally to sharpen their talents and make them world champions.