The Minister (In suit) the High Commissioner and team Ghana
Minister for Youth and Youth, Isaac Kwame Asiamah, yesterday paid a visit to the Ghanaian contingent at a reception organised by the Ghana High Commissioner to Australia, Edwin Nii Adjei ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast (GC) Commonwealth Games in Australia.
He was accompanied by his Technical Advisor at the Ministry, Dr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah and the Chief Director of the ministry, Frank Quist.
The Minister, said, the President of the Republic, Nana Akuffo Addo, extended his well wishes to the team and also urged the team to do their best for the country.
He told the athletes to see their participation in the games as a privilege because there were equally qualified athletes who could have made it but they have been chosen to represent the country.
He added that they are representing the over 29 million Ghanaians at the games so they should act as worthy representatives, remain focused and aim at winning the country more laurels.
He indicated that government will reward athletes who excel in the games accordingly, and therefore charged the participants to brace themselves for the challenge ahead.
“You are here to make Ghana proud. Proper structures are in place to ensure that athletes who distinguish themselves are rewarded appropriately,” he said.
The High Commissioner urged the athletes to take a cue from their predecessors and make a name for themselves so that they can write their names in the history of Ghana sports.
He appealed to the athletes to be disciplined and make sure to compete fairly, saying, “If you win, you win fairly; if you lose, you lose gallantly, and if there is any decision made which is not in your favour, use the appropriate channel.”
He said their presence in Australia was an opportunity to sell the Ghana brand, and therefore advised them to comport themselves.
“Games, as we all know, is an opportunity for culture brand; it’s when most countries sell their culture; so as you have come, I want you to look at the games you are participating in as a platform that you are going to use to project the nation,” he stated.
The President of the Commonwealth Games Association of Ghana, Ben Nunoo Mensah urged athletes to do their best for the country as patriotic citizens and they would be duly rewarded.