New baseball field inaugurated

The Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Naoto Nikai,  has handed over a newly constructed baseball field to the Ghana Baseball and Softball Association (GHABSA) in  the hope that the facility will motivate the national baseball team to qualify for the 2020 Olympics to be hosted by Tokyo.

Dubbed  ‘Koshien Ghanabaseball field’, it shares its name with the most famous baseball stadium in Japan.

Even though baseball is  yet to be an Olympic sport, the ambassador, at the handover ceremony last Saturday, expressed the hope that by 2020, it would  be permitted into the Olympics because of its popularity across the world.

The facility, constructed at a cost of GH¢234,634.00 through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects (GCGP) Scheme  and located at the Labone Senior High School,  is also expected to further improve the cultural exchange between Ghana and Japan and deepen the already cordial relationship between the two countries.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, commended GHABSA for their collaboration with the Japanese embassy, while entreating other sporting associations to emulate them.

“The Government is constrained in supporting all sports, so the support of the Japanese Embassy in aiding to construct the field is welcomed,” he said.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo,  made a $1000 donation to GHABSA to aid their development activities.