Prez Mahama in a pose with Nii Lantey Vanderpuye(L) Emcee Nathaniel Attoh, the national title combatants, GBA prez Peter Zwennes and referee Roger Barnor. INSET: Front view of the Emporium
President John Mahama is convinced that the construction of the multi-purpose sports complex (Trust Sports Emporium) has the potential of returning the good days of sports into the country.
Commissioning the facility situated near the Korle-Bu Traffic Light in Accra, president Mahama bemoaned the dwindling fortune of sports in the country.
He however expressed the hope that the newly-constructed facility will revive sports and give opportunity to the youth to express their sporting talents.
“Lack of sporting infrastructure has been the bane of sports decline in the country, but I believe the construction of this facility will bring back the golden days. We thought about this, dreamt about it and now it is a reality, I am so excited.”
“The construction of this facility will ensure the return of the good days. This is in fulfillment of the promise I made in 2012, and we have decided to construct a Sports Excellence Centres in all the regions in our quest to breathe life into sports in the country,” said Mahama.
The commissioning also witnessed a special award ceremony where Mahama presented certificates of honour and cash to past World champions like David Kotei Poison, Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, Nana Yaw Konadu, Joshua Clottey, among others.
Youth and Sports Minister Nii Lantey Vanderpuye expressed copious gratitude to the president for the gymnasium saying, “…it has always been a dream to have such a facility in this area and thank God we have it today.”
It is a facility for indoor sporting activities with a well-equipped boxing gym and a dedicated area for indoor activities like basketball, volleyball, table tennis and boxing etc. It has a combined spectatorship area for 800 all together for the Sports Hall.
The Bukom Boxing Arena is an open air stadium with a seating capacity of 4000 with the seats terraced to a total of 16 levels.
It has a conference hall, aerobic, physiotherapy and gym block, restaurant, an Olympic-size swimming pool and changing room, a school block and a sanitary facility.
The complex is a flagship facility owned by Trust Sports Emporium Limited, a joint venture company put together by Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and ETC Polska of Poland.
Six spectacular bouts including a national title which president Mahama decorated the winner with a belt, crowned the evening that drew thousands from the Bukom, Korle-Bu and Ga Mashie enclaves.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum