REPORT ON THE REPUBLIC DAY SOCCER GAMES AND CLEAN UP EXERCISE IN SUNYANI

As part of activities marking the Municipal Celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of Ghana`s Republic, the Sunyani Municipal Assembly in conjunction with space FM a local radio station in the city put up a soccer game competition for various institutions, organisations and associations in the city at the coronation park in Sunyani. In the past years it had been the space FM which has been organising such games on such occasions. But this year the Sunyani Municipal assembly decided to lead the way. The assembly therefore contributed GH¢1,000.00 while space FM also gave GH¢500.00 towards it. In all eighteen (18) teams made up of the Sunyani municipal

assembly team, citizen Kweku, space FM, Space Fitness, National Lotteries, Abafresh, Sam Bennet hardware, Mobile Phone Technicians operation Boys, S.D.A Hospital, Emmanuel Otto Furniture, C.P.C, Regional Hospital, Taxi Drivers, Gyan Farms, Jollome designers and P.W.D teams competed. Addressing the teams at the Coronation Park in Sunyani the MCE Hon. Oppong Ababio said there is the need for private public partnership for growth hence the decision by the assembly to team up with Space Fm to organize the soccer games as part of activities to mark the Republic day. “He added sports unite people and as we start these games I want you to see

yourselves as brothers”. “If your brother mistakenly steps on your toes, please don’t reply him so that at the end of the games we will leave here as one people. After his inspirational speech he

kicked the ball for the games to start. The MCE was tipped to feature for the Sunyani Municipal assembly team but when the games started he was not even in the reserve team. When I contacted him about it he said “I am a very good footballer but as I was rushing here I forgot my boots at home so next time you will see me in action”. Surprisingly, Sunyani Municipal and Space FM organisers of the games were both kicked out at the group stages.

While Sunyani Municipal managed to win their first match against the Jollome designers and lost their second match against citizen Kweku, Space FM lost their first match against Sam Bennet Hardware team. The captain of the Space FM team , Papa Abisah a popular presenter of the radio station said “we did our best but the best team won”. He added that they were going to prepare and come back next time. The deputy coach of the Sunyani municipal assembly team who is also a one man supporter of the black stars Mr. E.K. Asoi said “we have a good team made up of experience players including Ayoma Moro, former goalkeeper of Bofoakwa but we did not train hence the defeat”. He added that they were going to train hard and come next time to win over which ever team that comes their way.

Earlier that morning, Mr. E.K Asoi who is an accountant at the Assembly had told this reporter that God had revealed to him that the Assembly team was going to win the cup and the Black stars were also going to defeat the Uruguayans and reach the finals of the FIFA World Cup underway in South

Africa. He will not comment about why the Assembly team was not able to win the trophy but about the Black stars defeat to the Uruguayans this is what he had to say “we won but the devil Louis Suarez denied us of that glory”. At the end of the games, citizen Kwaku a team at the Estate in Sunyani came first followed by Sam Bennet Hardware team. They were presented with the cup by the Hon. MCE for Sunyani Municipal Assembly Kwasi Oppong Ababio. The second and third (3^rd) teams were given hampers. It was all fun at the coronation park through out the day. There was a sound system which provided music and these young chaps did not spare their waste at all. Attendance was very high and there was no incident or accident.

Earlier that morning there was a clean up exercise at Abesim organised by the Chiefs, Assem

blymen, area council, unit committee and opinion leaders in the town which the MCE for the Sunyani Municipal Assembly Hon. Oppong Ababio who hail from the town participated in. the exercise was named "clean up exercise in support of the Black

Stars defeat against U.S.A and praying for them to win against Uruguay". It was very well attended and many areas in the town were cleared of weeks and filth. It was surprising to see that a Ghana @ 50 toilet in the town which is not completed has been abandoned and has been overtaken by weeds.

When contacted to know why the Assemblymen in the town told me that the contractor working on it has abandoned it and bolted for almost a year now.The MCE assured that they were making efforts to get the said contractor to go and finish the work.