The Sports Directorate of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has held a 4-day retreat at Tutu Akwapem in the Eastern Region.

The retreat is to orient and equip newly appointed staff on various aspects of their work, review the Sports Directorate’s activities for the 2020-2021 academic year, and additionally, draft the framework for engaging Colleges of Education affiliated with UEW on sports and recreation.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Acting Vice-Chancellor (VC) of UEW, Prof. Andy Ofori-Birikorang, intimated the directorate of Sports should re-project the new era of sporting activities at UEW in a manner that will include staff and other members of the University.

According to the Ag. VC, sports could be used as a tool to brand the University.

He revealed: “Recently management approved a programme for the Directorate for athletes who turned up for weekends training to have free breakfast and approved the camping clinic for coaches to assess the fitness level of athletes.”

He further that stated the upgrade of Amalgamated Sports to a directorate speaks of the excellent work which had been done over the years and assured the directorate of the appointment of coaches to augment the existing number when financial clearance is given.

Prof. Ofori-Birikorang also assured participants of and an improved sporting facility that would include the athletics oval at the University hall and the construction of more facilities at the Ajumako campus.

Moreover, he encouraged the honorary coaches to support the team to bring more laurels and glory to the university.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor paid a glowing tribute to William Amponsah and Lariba Sakat for lifting the UEW flag high when they won gold in long-distance for both the male and female categories in the Confederacy of African Athletes Region two (2) marathon in Nigeria and also winning the 2021 Asante Akyem 21 kilometres marathon race.

On his part, the Chairman of Sports Directorate, Dr. Kwame Kyere Diabour, outlined several activities that his outfit would undertake in the coming academic year. These, he said, will include developing and implementing a programme of activities to involve staff of the university in friendly matches, evaluation of their sports facilities in line with their responsibility to the Corporate Strategic Plan- 2019-2023 and a refresher course for appointed honorary coaches and auxiliary staff. The other strategies include organising a capacity building workshop for its staff in the first semester, put in place a committee to review the sports policy to conform to the new UEW statutes, the continuation of the enhanced weekend training programme, and finally, collaborate with the Institute for Teacher Education and Continuous Professional Development and the affiliated colleges of education, to nurture talents at the Colleges of Education.

Dr. Kwame Kyere Diabour thanked the Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andy Ofori-Birikorang, since it was the first time in the history of the Amalgamated Sports Clubs cum Sports Directorate that a Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education Winneba, was attending its annual retreat. He said this had brought joy and energized members ahead of the coming academic year.

The four-day retreat was on the theme “Charting a new era of sports and recreation in UEW.”