Team Ghana departs for Rio Olympic Games
The Ghana Olympic squad will depart for the 2016 Olympic Games, this weekend, for the biggest sports festival in the world.
The trip is under the sponsorship of the Ghana National Petroleum Company (GNPC).
In a move that signals a broader scope of support for sports, the GNPC indicated that it will support the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), to identify and nurture talents to ensure that Ghana is adequately represented on the world stage, in particular, at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, and at the Olympic Games at Japan in 2020.
The Chief Executive of GNPC, Mr. Alexander Mould, said “The Olympics are the world’s biggest spectacle and we are proud to play our part to ensure that Ghana participates.
“Although most people associate us with football, GNPC is already expanding its scope across sports, and working with key stakeholders to identify where we can make the most impact through infrastructure, partnerships and initiatives.
“We are already sponsoring Ghana’s Fastest Human competition, to help produce formidable athletes that can feed into a sustained Olympic programme for Ghana.”
The President of the (GOC) Professor Francis Dodoo, in acknowledging GNPC’s support, observed that GNPC’s role as an enabler in the area of sports development was timely and strategic.
Prof. Dodoo added that; “The current Ghana Olympics squad, comprised young athletes, with an average age of 22 years. We believe exposure at the Rio Olympics will develop them further to make a bigger impact in 2020.
“We also have the fastest female 100m quartet in Africa, who have recorded the fastest time ever. All of these means that we have a great future ahead.”
Nii Lante Vanderpuye, the Minister for Youth and Sports expressed gratitude to GNPC for the support and believes that other corporate entities will emulate the gesture.
He said “On behalf of the Government and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we wish to express our sincere thanks to the Board and Management of GNPC for responding to our appeal to support Team Ghana. This patriotic act hopefully would be an example to other Corporate institutions to emulate”
Source: GNA