GHANA DEAF RUGBY UNION HOSTED JAPANESE DEAF RUGBY UNION FROM THE 5TH – 8TH OF JULY, 2019
The Ghanaian Deaf rugby union welcomed the two visitors at the Kotoka International Airport at about 6:35pm and headed on to their Hotel of residency.
The teams at the airport are the executives of the Ghana Deaf Rugby Union: Mr. Yaw Konadu, Isaac Acheampong, Benjamin Annor, Robert Frimpong Manso, Amuzuloh Kombla Abdul Salim. Among the team were the representatives of the Federation: Mr. Kingsley and Johnson Mahatma Numeri. Also there was a Japanese lady by name Cheriron who was assigned to accompany team to serve as a Japanese translator.
THE MOVE
The Executives started journey with the visitors and the translator to Kumasi at 4:05am and reached around 8:20am. After the guest has been allocated with their hotel room, they opened the boxes they brought which contain lot of rugby kits that to be distributed among Deaf Schools to use for training. We then proceeded to Bechem in the Bono Region.
BECHEM
We landed at the School for the Deaf at 11:15am and reported to the school authorities who tended us a warmly reception. After we have narrated our mission and presented the kits, the two visitors together with our Ghana coach took about 58 adult students to the playing field and gave them some intensive training on rugby is being played. At 12:54pm, the team gave a brief talk to the students and left for Kumasi.
KUMASI
We arrived at the rugby training pitch at 3: 37pm. where the players has been waiting for us since morning. Without testing from the long journey, the three coaches moved straight to the field and gave a very hot training to the team which ended around 6:12pm.
After having some refreshment, we sent the guest to their hotel to rest for the day.
The next day which was Sunday, the visitors presented the remaining kits for us to send them to the various deaf schools which we could reach so they too can start their training. Each school is to be presented with 5 Rugby balls and some tags. The balls were kept in Mr. Benjamin’s Office at the Kumasi sport stadium. Some balls were sent to Accra to be given to those deaf schools closer and kept in Mr. Amuzuloh’s house.
ACCRA
As scheduled on the agenda, the selected numbers of 5 as directed by the Embassy paid a courtesy visit to the Japan Embassy together with our visitors and their translator. We were able to reach the Embassy exactly on time even though the heavy downpour on the Monday morning.
AT THE EMBASSY
We were given an exceptional reception by the assistant ambassador who was acting on behalf of Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, who has traveled to Sierra Leone for a meeting. Together with his secretary and a Public Relations and culture officer welcomed us and asked for our mission to the Embassy. Mr. Kingsley who played a very tremendous role told them why the visit and introduced us, then left the remaining discussion and real purpose of visit to our Japanese guest to narrate their purpose of coming to Ghana. They spoke in their native language with assistance of the lady translator.
In summary, the centered points were:
A. Japan Rugby Union started small team and now has risen to the highest level and they are now able to participate in competitions
B. Ghana Rugby team has just started and want partner with Japan team to learn more from them.
C. There could be an exchange programmes between the two countries hence the Embassy should be aware before hand and offer any assistance when needed.
D. Japanese rugby union will invite the Ghanaian counterpart next year April for a game.
E. Mr. Kingsley added up that Ghana has a very close relationship with the France Embassy to uplift the Ghana Deaf Sport Federation which has given opportunity for the Ghana teams to play matches in France where Ghana has won three (3) cups out of it and it has raised the image of the Federation. Therefore, we want to do likewise with our Japanese friends.
Furthermore, the President of the Ghana Deaf Rugby union Mr. Konadu added up that we will be very committed in compliance to all the do’s and don’ts of the Embassy.
F. Finally, the Ambassador Stressed that all documentations to Japan through the Embassy should be filed on time to ensure due process.
THE MINISTRIES
We headed on to the National Sports Authority (NSA) but to our surprised the office was locked and no one could be found around due to the downfall so we proceeded to the Ministry of Youth and Sports but we were told that the Minister had flew to Egypt to watch the ongoing CAF, one-eighth finals between Ghana and Tunisia. Fortunately the deputy in charge of administration stood in and gave us a very fabulous reception. We narrated our mission to them as same as we did at the Japan Embassy.
Surprisingly, he was so enthused to hear our effort to introduce deaf Rugby. He then said the Ministry will do all that it can to give any support we need. Even if they have no financial fund to give they will grant us any documents we need to solicit for funding both home and abroad.
SIDE ATTRACTIONS
In Kumasi we took the visitors to the Baba Yara Sport Stadium to view and have fun to ease stress.
At the Baba Yara Sport Stadium, we went to Mr. Benjamin Office and made a presentation of locally made smock to the visitors and also we cut a cake design with flags of both countries to commemorate the partnership.
Unfortunately, on our return from the Bechem School for the Deaf, our bus developed fault and we have to push it with our guest. A new bus was given to us because the old bus we have could no longer enable us continue our journey ahead. The old bus we started with gives us more problems.
Back in Accra, after we have done with all encounters we took them to the Arts Center for them view Ghanaian products and see if they can patronage. The shop owners upon seeing “obroni kokoo” visiting their stands intended increasing their prices so they ignored purchasing so we lead them to the shops at the Rawlings part where they will able to buy their choice of Ghanaian fabrics.
After they are done we took them to the Theodora Oko Hockey pitch to have a short rest. To our surprised, the Japanese lady translator took them back to the Arts Center for them to get some fabrics and art works. As we were worried for not knowing their where about, they finally came so we went straight to the airport to escort them back to Japan.
The visit of our guest from Japan Rugby Team has now completed, we escort them to the Airport to see them off to their country. We over here in Ghana also departed back to our various destinations around 7:13 pm.
Thank you
RSF Reporting.