Participants and organizers in a group photograph with after the closing ceremony. INSET: Dr. Bitugu
Local Organizing Committee Chairman of recently-held International Conference on Physical Activity and Sport for Health Development in Africa(IC-PASHDA), Dr. Bella Bello Bitugu, has suggested the instrumentalisation of sports in the country.
The head of University of Ghana Sports Directorate pointed out that Sports in the country must be positioned to go beyond just winning medals but rather, become a lifestyle activity for all,
To Dr. Bitugu, the practice has always been training sportsmen and women to win medals rather than making it a priority in the country’s educational curricular to become a lifestyle.
He said at the 3rd IC-PASHDA seminar at the University of Ghana, Legon that “We are too much interested in winning medals as the benefit of sports, which must be changed. Every Ghanaian, especially young people, must be encouraged to engage in physical activities as a lifestyle which should be the way to go.”
He expressed worry about children choosing to play video games over proper physical activity as done in the past.
Dr Bitugu advised that, health must be facilitated through physical activities by all especially the youth for the growth of the country and Africa at large.
Richmond Aryeetey of the School of Public Health at the University of Ghana, in his keynote address said “Aside the many economical benefits associated with actively engaging in physical activities, it can also reduce the risk of illnesses and death.”
He said physical activities must be integrated into every area possible and everyone must be encouraged to do so.
“Everyone must be active and this could be done by creating active societies, people and systems across the country,” he suggested.
The three-day IC-PASHDA drew renowned resource persons from across the world sharing ideas of physical activities to participants.
Among them were Robert Schneider, Prof. Lauren Liberman, Kyle Pierce all from U.S.A, Mr. Kwabena Gao(Education Specialist), Prof. Reginald Ocansey (UG) and Prof. Vincent Onywera from Kenya.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum