Accra Technical University (ATU) has started on the right footing, winning most of its games in the men’s category across all the sporting events in which it is participating in the ongoing 2nd edition of the Ghana Technical Universities Sports Association (GHATUSA) Games in Tamale.

While Team ATU men were a delight to watch, having won all but one game and progressing steadily, as most of their contenders were a walk in the park, the women’s category left much to be desired.

Opening Ceremony
The 2nd edition of the GHATUSA Games 2022 kickstarted with a grand spectacle on Monday afternoon, November 14, 2022, at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, Tamale. The first edition was held in Accra in 2019.
Over 1,000 athletes from the ten public technical universities are participating across eight sports disciplines – handball, volleyball, basketball, football, tennis, table tennis, badminton, and athletics – at five venues across the capital of the Savannah Region.

In a speech read on behalf of Vice President Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and the Sports Minister Hon. Ussif Mustapha, the Technical Advisor to the Vice President and Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority, Mr. Seth Panwum Boyoyo, said Ghana is endowed with athletic talent; thus, school sports should serve as the foundation for utilising this potential. He said, “the purposes of sports and sports development have become a global testimony for the good and progress of the development of countries. Thus, sports have over the years progressed significantly from its fundamental objective of mere recreation to business.” He added that “all over the world, the contribution of sports to the creation of jobs, increasing wealth, developing potentials and creating satisfaction amongst people has been successfully measured and affectionately promoted.”

He indicated, however, that logistics and resources are key to achieving these goals. He, therefore, assured the sporting fraternity of the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ commitment to the growth of sports in the country.

The Vice-Chancellor of the host university, Professor Abass Braimah, encouraged all the athletes to exhibit great sportsmanship by building on the character traits of solidarity, brotherliness, and dependability. He, therefore, implored them not to sacrifice long-term relationships and other benefits that sports afford on the altar of personal achievements, laurels, and glory. He congratulated all the athletes who are participating in the event. He urged the athletes to uphold the ethics of sportsmanship and to make the best out of the event.

Professor Braimah bemoaned the sports infrastructure deficit that was telling on the games. “It would have been befitting to host the opening at Tamale Technical University but for infrastructure,” he lamented.

There were also well wishes from the Director of the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, Dr. Samuel Jinapor, the Chairman of the Vice-Chancellors of Technical Universities – Ghana (VCTU-G), and the Mayor of Tamale, Mr. Sule Salifu.

With athletes and dignitaries from across the country in attendance, an array of cultural dances accompanied by music from performers from the Tamale Centre for National Culture added colour and splendor to the opening ceremony of the sports fiesta.

The theme for this year’s games is “Rediscovering Sports Development Initiatives: The Role of Technical Universities.”

The games will conclude on November 19, 2022.

ATU’s Journey
ATU arrived in Tamale on November 11, 2022, to join nine other technical universities to battle for laurels and glory at the 2nd GHATUSA Games hosted by Tamale Technical University.            
Accra Technical University comes in as a strong contender and the team to beat as it holds the bragging right and commensurate trophies as the defending champion. It hopes to guard this title by clinching the ultimate this year too.

Participating teams and officials underwent validation processes on Saturday, November 12, 2022.

With the official opening ceremony expected to come off on Monday, November 14, 2022, Sunday saw the first set of games to kickstart the sports fiesta at various centres earmarked for the event.