Samson Deen calls on NSA boss, announces landmark Para Sports Festival and Continental Congress in Ghana

Mr. Samson Deen, President of the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC) and Ghana Paralympic Committee, visited Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah. Mr. Ankrah is the Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA). The visit aimed to welcome him to office and discuss upcoming AfPC initiatives.

A key announcement was made during the visit. Ghana will host the AfPC Elective Congress in November 2025. It will also host the first-ever Open Para Sports and Classification Festival. These events are expected to attract stakeholders and athletes from across Africa to Accra.

Mr. Deen highlighted urgent issues in para sports in Africa. He mentioned underfunding and a lack of athlete classification as major challenges. “We’ve normalized the absence of resources for over 30 years,” he said. He stressed that it’s time for change, focusing on fairness for all athletes.

He shared his experience of being elected as AfPC president in 2019. His journey was not about personal success but improving para sports across Africa.

Mr. Deen outlined plans for the Open Para Sports Festival, which includes athlete classification. This is a significant barrier for many African federations. “Classification is a big challenge in Africa,” he noted, adding that many cannot afford to send athletes abroad.

To address this, international classifiers will come to Ghana with support from the Spanish Ambassador, who has a disability himself.

Mr. Deen requested access to venues like Borteyman and Legon Sports facilities for logistics and staffing help from NSA.

In response, Mr. Yaw Ampofo Ankrah praised Mr. Deen’s leadership and promised full NSA support for these initiatives.

“You have our total support,” he stated, assuring that NSA would provide facilities and personnel for success.

This visit marks renewed collaboration between national institutions and the para sports movement in Ghana's efforts to become a hub for disability sports by November.