Tennis Has Potential To Be Major Sport In Ghana - Ossei Aidooh
A former Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs during the erstwhile Kufuor government, Lawyer Abraham Ossei Aidooh, has observed that long tennis has a potential to become a major sport in Ghana and that what is needed is more stakeholder efforts to position the sport properly in the grand scheme of things.
The respected Lawyer Ossei Aidooh, who himself is a tennis enthusiast said this when he chatted with journalists on the sidelines of a tournament that came off at the Premier Tennis court at Community 12 in Tema on Friday, 1st December, 2023. Dubbed “KGL foundation, Tema 2023 farmers day tournament”
Hon. Ossei Aidooh said “ We have helped many people in diverse ways through long tennis, educationally and jobs for the youth among other things because tennis is a form of exercise for the youth, and the aged, We started long tennis tournament as far back as 2004, we had TDC tennis club, TOR, Sakumono and GHACEM Tennis Clubs without sponsorship on farmers day, I would like to thank the KGL for this year’s sponsorship, I would also want to thank the Ghana National Gas for the tennis facility in Tema Community 12”.
“As things stand now, tennis is one of the 24 sports that were approved for the Borteyman Sports Complex programmes. This is because increasingly, tennis’ value is registering for Ghanaians,” the respected Ossei Aidooh told journalists.
Consequently, he said the improvement in the recognition for tennis ought to ginger stakeholders to increase efforts towards making it a mainstream national sport like soccer and boxing.
According to Hon. Ossei Aidooh, who is a member of the Tema Premier Club, it has increasingly become clear to Ghanaians that the country cannot rely on soccer and boxing alone for its fortune in sports and that this creates opportunities for other sports to assert themselves.
“What we as stakeholders must do is continue to contribute to improvement in infrastructure for the sport, encourage participation and nurture talents for the sport,” the former MP for Tema West and a member of the parliamentary Service Board added.
He expressed gratitude that tennis was recognized as part of the 2023 All African Games. He was also full of gratitude for the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF) which he said is doing very well to promote tennis at the African Games.
“It was refreshing to see GTF President, Isaac Aboagye Duah, visit the Borteyman Sports complex to inspect facilities to make sure that tennis was being accorded the needed infrastructural facilities at the Sports complex.”
Lawyer Aidooh also praised the GTF President for requesting that three tennis facilities are built into the complex.
Mr. Edward Ababio, alias Opuler, the hardworking chairman of the Tema Premier Tennis Club said “ We started playing long tennis from various clubs many years ago, it was initially known as the PAHO club and Hon. Abraham Ossei Aidooh, the then Mp for Tema West and Majority leader was our leader in terms of tennis in Tema, he used his influence to help many people in diverse ways, I was the organizer, Mr. Mike Offei, an international diplomat was our chairman and Dr. Alphonse Kwao Dorcoo, former Managing Director of TOR and others were our patrons. We have come a long way and by God’s grace, now there is improvement, people think that tennis is expensive but it is good for our health, thanks to KGL for this year’s sponsorship”.
Mr. Mike Offei, on his part said “ when I returned from the United States of America, I also helped in diverse ways as articulated by Hon. Ossei Aidooh and chairman Opuler, Dr. Alphonse Dorcoo and others also did very well in the development of tennis in Tema, I would like to commend Mr. Yaw Baffoe, a respected businessman, Mr. Ebenezer Paa Kofi Grant and Mr. Napoleon Wobil among others for their good works as far as long tennis in Tema is concerned”.
Dr. Alphonse Kwao Dorcoo, a former TOR Boss who also played a major role in the development of long tennis in Tema said “ when playing tennis, you exercise almost every part of the body and improve thinking ability because of the calculation involved with regard to the monitoring of how your opponent plays, swimming too is another good form of exercise, so I will advise Ghanaians to take long tennis and swimming seriously”.
Mr. Yaw Baffoe, a reputable businessman and a leading member of the Tema Premier Tennis Club said “The tournament on Friday had been sponsored by the KGL Foundation, a subsidiary of the KGL Group which focuses on improving the lots of the marginalized and disadvantaged in society through philanthropy, it was through the instrumentality of the hardworking Executive Director of KGL foundation, Mr. Ken Mpare, that this year’s tournament hosted by the Tema premier tennis club was sponsored.
According to Mr. Ken Mpare, the Executive Director of KGL foundation, the sponsorship of the tournament is part of the Foundation’s effort to engender a life of exercise while promoting the tennis sport.
The tournament was well attended with Edward Ababio-led Tema Premier Tennis Club competing against a host of other tennis clubs for honours. Including the regional Maritime University tennis Club, Sakumono Tennis club and the TDC club.
Those in attendance at the well-attended tournament include Dr. Doris Fien Timti, a Medical practitioner, Tetteh Doreenda, a Businesswoman, Dr. Babson Stephen, Sakumono Tennis Club chairman, Nene Joseph Ayiku-Teye, a Sub chief of Ada, Kabia-we, Naa Amla Buxton, a media practitioner, Oti Boakye-yiadom, a retired banker, Alhaji Mohammed Salifu, a businessman, Rhoda Ekumah, a businesswoman, Dorcas Rhule, a businesswoman, Nunya Matanawui, a businesswoman, Martin Boakye, a businessman, Joyceline Awurabena Barnes, a businesswoman, Dr. Narh Adams, a medical practitioner, Victoria Quarshigah, a businesswoman, Francis Poribo, a businessman, Osei Owusu, a former Tema West Npp Secretary, Dr. Mensah Afful, a medical Practitioner and Miss Afia Boadiwaa, a businesswoman in the hospitality industry.
Michael Adade Foli, a leading member of the Tema Premier tennis club who was the master of ceremony and Miss Mbongta Awantang, a united states based tennis player and a member of the Tema Premier Tennis club performed excellently well to the admiration of the many spectators present.
Leave A Comment