Edmond Gyebi
5 August 2008
Right to Play, a non- governmental organisation (NGO) which aims to train and educate children through sports, yesterday officially lunched its Northern project in Tamale, with a call on beneficiaries to use lessons learnt, towards the development of the North.
The NGO, which has been operating in Ghana for about eight years, brought together school children and their teachers, sports journalists and educationists, among others, to participate in its launch.
The Country Manager of Right to Play, Joyce Ashuu, said as a result of activities of the organisation, and collaborative efforts of partners, the project had for now, trained approximately 160 coaches, who were currently implementing their specially-designed sports and play activities, with over 5,000 children in schools and communities, on a weekly basis.
According to her, the activities are used as a vehicle to disseminate information on values, life skills, and prevention of diseases, such as malaria and HIV.
Mrs. Ashuu hoped to expand the project to the Upper West Region shortly, and urged stakeholders involved in Right to Play programmes, to help share lessons learnt.
She stated that it befell on beneficiaries of the programme, to apply the best practices to help chart a common course, towards the development of Ghana, and the North in particular.
Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, in a speech delivered on his behalf, said there was growing evidence that well-designed sport-based initiatives, incorporating the best values of sport, could be powerful, practical and cost-effective tools to achieving development and peace objectives.
He said sport was now recognized by many international experts in the fields of development, education, health, economics and conflict resolution, as a simple low cost, and effective means of achieving a diverse range of development goals, hence the building of an ultra-modern standard stadium in Tamale by the government.
Alhaji Mustapha explained that in Northern Ghana, sports and peace were important as a policy issues, because it was believed that play enhances learning, and the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children, of all ages, and cultures.
The Minister indicated that sports and play allowed better interaction among children, and triggered the fullest expression of a child's opinions and ideas.
Continuing, he acknowledged that the development of a child's intellect, promoted effective child participation in decision-making processes concerning children, which is a key indicator of enhanced good governance.
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