Assifuah sweeps top Stellar Awards

Former Black Satellites striker, Ebenezer Assifuah, last Friday completed a double sweep of awards at the fourth Stellar Logistics Western Region Sports Awards in Takoradi after being named the Sports Personality of the Year and Male Footballer of the Year.

The 21-year-old was rewarded for his superb performances at the 2013 FIFA U-20 Championship in Turkey where he was the top scorer with six goals which aided the Satellites to a third place finish at the global showpiece.

Assifuah also pipped versatile sprinter, John O’brien, and badminton prodigy, Abraham Ayittey, to the Sports Personality of the Year gong, while fending off young Sekondi Hasaacas striker, Samuel Afful, and Medeama SC goalie, Muntari Tagoe, for the Male Footballer of the Year award.

However, Assifuah could not attend the glitzy ceremony due to commitments with his club FC Sion in Switzerland and so had his awards which included two momentoes and a 32-inch Samsung LCD TV received on his behalf by his mother, Maame Efua Maaye.

Hasaacas Ladies emerged the Team of the Year and completed a clean sweep of four awards as Samira Suleman beat teammates Ernestina Abambilla and Janet Egyir to the Female Player of the Year, while their Coach, Yusif Basigi, was named the Coach of the Year and Nana Banyin Eyeson as the CEO of the Year.

Other notable award winners on the night included John O’brien who emerged the Athlete of the Year, Abraham Ayittey who scooped the Badminton Player of the Year and Sylvester Adjogu  won the Referee of the Year award.

Veteran goalie, George Owu, was presented with a special award for his dedication and valour for Hasaacas and the Black Stars.

In all, 28 awards, made up of 21 general and seven special awards, were presented to individuals, organisations and personalities who had supported sports in various ways in the region.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga, in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy, Vincent Oppong-Asamoah, stressed the need for tertiary educational institutions in the country to develop academic curricular that promotes sports.

The event, organised by West Prime Communications Limited, was on the theme, “Supporting the Education of Needy, Brilliant Sportsmen, Our Responsibility”. 

Some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion included Nana Kobina Nketsiah V, Omanhen of Essikado Traditional Area, and the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Okyere Darko-Mensah.