Samson Deen rallies NSA support as Ghana prepares to host historic Para Sports Festival

In a high-level engagement aimed at fostering national cooperation for disability sports, President of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC) and the Ghana Paralympic Committee, Mr. Samson Deen, paid a strategic courtesy call on the new Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah.

The meeting, held at the NSA headquarters, set the tone for a new era of collaboration ahead of Ghana’s hosting of two major para sports events: the AfPC Elective Congress and the first-ever Open Para Sports and Classification Festival, both slated for November 2025.

Mr. Deen used the occasion to highlight the significance of Ghana’s role in advancing para sports across Africa. He underscored the dire need for inclusive facilities, athlete development, and continental access to athlete classification.

“Africa’s para athletes are talented but structurally underserved. With Ghana taking the lead in hosting a continental classification festival, we’re not just creating opportunities — we’re correcting historic inequalities,” he stated.

The upcoming festival is expected to be a game-changer, providing athletes with international classification, a prerequisite for competing in global Paralympic events. Mr. Deen revealed that international classifiers and delegations from several countries have already been engaged, with diplomatic missions like the Spanish Embassy expressing enthusiastic support.

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Mr. Deen also shared personal insights into the transformation of para sports in Ghana since his involvement in 2016, noting the shift from a personality-driven system to one that embraces fairness and community empowerment.

“This movement is no longer about individuals. It’s about systems that work, structures that uplift everyone.”

He appealed to the NSA for access to key venues such as the Borteyman Complex and University of Ghana Stadium, and for technical personnel to support the festival’s logistics.

In a show of solidarity, NSA Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah pledged the full support of his office.

“This is a national priority. We’re committed to seeing para sports thrive and will provide the facilities and manpower needed to ensure success.”

The collaboration between AfPC and the NSA is being hailed as a bold step in Ghana’s sports diplomacy and a significant milestone in empowering athletes with disabilities across Africa.