Sports Minister visits national fencing team

The Ghana Fencing National team last Wednesday received a morale-boosting visit from the Minister of Youth and Sports, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye ahead of their participation in the 2016 Olympics Games qualifiers on April 10 in Algeria. 

During the visit to the National Fencing Academy in Tuba, near Kasoa, the minister encouraged the fencers to give of their best for the country and assured them of the support of his ministry and the entire nation

He commended the athletes for leaving their comfort zone to join the camp despite the financial challenges that the country and the association was facing.

He also praised the president of the Ghana Fencing Association, Mohammed Mahadi for using his personal resources to camp the team for over two weeks in preparation for the Olympic qualifier.

Mr Mahadi praised the minister for “not waiting for the team to pay him a courtesy call at his office but for coming to the camp so the principal actors can brief him about their challenges”.

He later presented the minister with a conventional fencing weapon known as a sabre, which Mr Mahadi said symbolised the focus, humility and commitment of the sports minister.

A five-member contingent including captain Alhassan Samba Abubakari, Affortu Hussein, Iddrisu Bashiru, Oppong Mensah Hemeng and coach Alhassan Abusafiyan are expected to depart Accra next week for the qualifiers.