The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in partnership with the Power Tennis Club, has inaugurated a refurbished tennis court in Accra to promote sports development, healthy living and community engagement.
The facility, originally constructed in 1994, was renovated through contributions from the club’s executives, patrons, donors and other benefactors.
The upgraded court is expected to provide members with a modern playing surface while supporting efforts to develop young tennis talents in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Managing Director of ECG, Mr Kwame Kpekpena, said the project demonstrated the value of collaboration and a shared commitment to community development.
He commended the leadership, patrons and donors of the club for supporting the project, singling out the Deputy Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament (MP) for Asuogyaman, Mr Thomas Nyarko Ampem, the MP for Ketu North, Mr Eric Edem Agbana, and other contributors for their roles in the successful completion of the renovation.
Mr Kpekpena also paid tribute to Prof. Cornelius Ecku Acquaye, a founding member of the club, whose initial donation after retiring from active tennis at the age of 86 inspired the redevelopment of the facility.
The President of the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF), Mr Isaac Aboagye Duah, called for sustained government support for tennis, noting that inadequate funding had hindered the development of the sport for years.
He said the federation had relied heavily on support from corporate organisations to finance the participation of national teams in international competitions, including the Davis Cup and the ongoing Billie Jean King Cup campaign in Botswana.
Mr Duah observed that although sports federations submitted annual budgets through the National Sports Authority (NSA) to the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR), financial support for sports other than football remained limited.
He therefore appealed for a structured and sustainable funding mechanism, including partnerships with state-owned institutions to support sports federations.
The chairman of the Power Tennis Club, Mr Arhin Owusu-Afriyie, appealed to the government, corporate organisations and philanthropists to invest more in tennis to support the development of young talents, particularly those from underprivileged communities.
He said many promising players were unable to reach their full potential because of the high cost of equipment, limited access to quality training facilities and inadequate financial support to participate in competitions.
Mr Owusu-Afriyie said increased investment would enable talented players to acquire the required equipment, participate in tournaments and represent Ghana on the international stage, thereby enhancing the country’s profile in the sport.
BY EUGENE AMPIAW
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
