Friday 27 February 2021, thirteen pioneer students, accompanied by faculty and staff of the new School of Sports and Exercise Medicine (SSEM) at UHAS, embarked on a day’s familiarisation tour of Accra Sports Stadium and Pulse Gymnasium in Accra as part of an orientation process aimed at increasing the interest of the new students in their field of study, and to acquaint them with the fundamentals of their programme. SSEM is the seventh and newest School at UHAS, established in 2020 and accredited to offer an undergraduate programme in Sports and Exercise Medicine.
The National Sports Authority (NSA) and Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the 2023 African Games held a symposium to welcome the UHAS group of students, faculty and staff. Professor Eric Ofori, Acting Dean of the SSEM, who led group, thanked NSA for agreeing to host the UHAS group. He spoke briefly about the establishment and mandate, the schools and academic programmes of UHAS.
Dean Ofori said the mandate of SSEM is to train “a high calibre of sports and exercise medical scientists” to use sports and exercise as health therapy. The school will also train “middle level graduates who will advance the level of professionalism in the fields of sports business management, sports psychology, sports nutrition, management of sports persons, exercising testing among many other untapped areas of the sports industry in Ghana, Africa and beyond.”
Prof. Ofori expressed gratitude to Prof. Oluwaseun Olanrewaju Omotayo, Head of Department for Sports and Exercise Medical Sciences, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and other consultants in the sports industry who offered technical consultancy and other forms of support during the development of the concept and curriculum of the School.
To ensure that students obtain both knowledge and skills during their training, Prof. Ofori said the school is ready to establish a memorandum of understanding and partnership with NSA, the LOC, and other sporting agencies in order for the students to obtain the skills needed.
In a short presentation on Sports for Development, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Technical Adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports took the students through the sporting landscape. He described the students as the “future pillars” of Ghana’s sports industry and urged them to take their studies seriously.
Dr. Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, Chairman of the LOC, stated that the School’s visit had come at an opportune time for the Local Organizing Committee of the 2023 African Games, which will be hosted by Ghana. He blamed the abysmal performance in Ghana’s sporting activities so far on the “decline of the application of science in the management of our national teams and sportspersons,” and said, “The establishment of the School of Sports and Exercise Medicine should address the lack of basic scientific applications in our sporting industry.”
The ace sportscaster also hinted the students on the huge potential in the sports industry, saying that Ghana and most African countries “haven’t even tapped 20 percent of sports’ benefits,” and encouraged the students to stay positive and work hard. In response to the students’ request for volunteering opportunities during the 2023 African Games, he expressed optimism and advised them to be preparing for that opportunity and other areas where their services might be required.
Mr. Reks Brobby, Africa’s fastest man in the 1980s and an accomplished sports management consultant, shared with them his experiences as a sportsman then, and now as a sports entrepreneur. Mr. Brobby, who is currently the Deputy Operating Officer of the LOC for 2023 African Games, urged the students to be orderly and confident.
Professor Omotayo, who expressed gratitude to all the members of the LOC and National Sports Authority, also appealed to the Chairman of the LOC to grant the School of Sports and Exercise Medicine the mandate to host the 2023 African Games’ scientific conference in Ho. The Chairman responded positively to that appeal.
The SSEM group also toured the facilities at the Accra Sports Stadium, followed by a visit to Pulse Fitness Ghana Limited, a world-class fitness centre that has been operating in Ghana since 2013. There, students got first-hand experience using a variety of fitness equipment. The manager and trainer of the facility took them through the rudiments of the gymnasium’s operations. The management of Pulse Fitness also expressed their readiness to partner with the school in the areas of apprenticeship, staff training and other exchange programmes.
Other members of the LOC present were: Mr. Dan Kwaku Yeboah and Ms. Joyce Datsu. Mr. Charles Amofah, Public Relations Officer, and Mr. Kwame Baa represented the National Sports Authority. Mr. Frank Appiah and Mr. Divine Eli-Cophie, both faculty members, and Mrs. Charity Osei, School Officer, were part of the SSEM entourage.