By Frank Kwame Abor
Ho, May 20, GNA- Organizers of Ho Central Zone Sports festival have truncated the 2025 games amid financial constraints and safety concerns.
The festival that was initially stipulated for seven days had to be reduced to five days, leaving a lot of the disciplines in the process overshadowed by logistical setbacks.
What was meant to be a spirited display of athleticism and school camaraderie turned into a struggle for both organizers and participants.
Originally scheduled for seven days, the event was cut down to five, with some planned track and field events either canceled or left incomplete.
The festival, a major fixture on the Zones sporting calendar, was marred by operational difficulties and an apparent lack of funding.
According to the organizers, severe budgetary limitations hampered critical aspects of the festival’s operation, affecting everything from transportation to security. “The zone simply does not have the money to fuel the buses, the motorcycles, and pay the police officers needed for traffic control and security,” an official told the Ghana News Agency Sports (GNA) on condition of anonymity.
The host school, a historic institution with a celebrated legacy in both academics and sports, is itself battling deteriorating sports infrastructure. A former student expressed his disappointment at the current state of facilities, saying, “We used to be proud of our football pitch and running tracks, but today, we can’t even host a decent Volleyball game.”
Insufficient funding negatively impacted the organization, logistics, and overall scope of the games. Organizers struggled to maintain schedules, while schools and athletes faced challenges competing under subpar conditions.
Essential declarations, such as the overall best-performing school, football goal king, best player for the zone and golden gloves winner, were not announced due to poor visibility at the sports ceremony.
In a particularly concerning development, inadequate facilities hinder records breaking this year. Equipment shortages were glaring, with individual students’ mattresses being used in place of a proper landing mat for the high jump event.
The absence of such basic sporting necessities drew criticism from several quarters.
Another significant issue was the total lack of ambulance service on-site throughout the duration of the sports festival. This omission sparked safety fears among parents and school authorities. One concerned parent remarked,
“It’s unacceptable to have hundreds of students competing without basic medical support on standby,” he said.
Security challenges also emerged when a group of former students became unruly during the sporting ceremony, threatening to disrupt the event but for the swift intervention by police officers averted potential chaos, with a few individuals arrested to restore calm and order.
Adding to the list of cancellations, the festival’s iconic cross-country race was stopped, this year.
Investigations by GNA revealed that insufficient funds prevented the fueling of escort vehicles and provision of Police traffic control. “Without logistical support, we simply couldn’t guarantee the safety of the athletes on public roads,” another official disclosed on condition of anonymity.
As the event came to a close, the challenges faced throughout the week left a sour impression on participants.
One coach passionately appealed for better investment in school sports infrastructure and logistics, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the tradition of inter-school competitions. “Our students deserve better,” the coach insisted. “Without proper support and infrastructure, we risk losing the very spirit of school sports.”
With the dust settling, attention now turns to education and sports authorities at both local, political and government levels to help address the issues that marred the festival and to ensure a safer, better-organized event in the future.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/George-Ramsey Benamba