Export and Import Bank Ghana [Exim Bank] has provided financial support of GH¢20k to a newfound, but vibrant sporting discipline in Ghana – Combat Ju Jutsu and Grappling having excelled in an international virtual ju jutsu tournament in May, 2021.
The Professional Combat Sports Association of Ghana [PROCSAG] paid a courtesy call on Exim Bank last Tuesday and used the occasion to present some medals and certificates they won at the international level while engaged demonstrating the art of grappling to officials of the company.
Three boys; Zoe Amoonu Bernie-Johnson [12yrs], Aaron Bentwum Bernie-Johnson [10yrs], and six-year-old Leon Afrim Bernie-Johnson, all students of Hope of Glory Montessori School, Mamprobi, Accra as well as Maame Akosua Amina Nhyira Aboagye, 6yrs and a pupil of Day Spring Montessori International School in Dansoman took part in the exhibition show.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Agyinsam [CEO of Exim Bank] urged corporate Ghana to come to the aid of the least financed sporting disciplines in the country.
“When I was approached about this a week ago, I was thinking we were going to see relatively old men or women but I’ve been highly impressed with what we just witnessed these very young people demonstrate.
“I’m especially excited with the girl’s participation because it could pretty much help, they could fight with armed robbers and predators considering the kind of men we have today some of who are abusing their own daughters.
“This certainly is a sport we must encourage and support because first it is a form of self-defence and secondly, to make sure that they go out there and shine on the world stage. We will donate a cash of twenty thousand Ghana Cedis [GH¢20,000] to serve as an example for other corporate bodies to also come on board.
“I want to also use this opportunity to invite like-minded organisations to support this sport for them to take Ghana unto the international stage where they have already won medals even virtually. It’s certainly the sport for the future, unlike the famous ones like football we keep pumping a lot of money in but never winning anything,”
President of Ghana Combat Ju Jutsu, Shakiratu Larteef expressed gratitude to Exim Bank for welcoming them:
“We thank Exim Bank so much for this support and absolute show of faith in what we are doing, we hope this is the beginning of a very healthy and long lasting relationship. This definitely is the motivation we need from corporate Ghana and I can assure you we will nurture more athletes and achieve much more internationally going forward.
“We took these children through a virtual competition which was run from Lithuania for 32 countries, only Ghana, Congo and Egypt were from Africa and the children did very well, all winning medals, some of which we present to you here today.
“This is a sport for all age groups, we don’t punch, we don’t kick, we just use technique to outwit an opponent. It’s very friendly and mostly self-defence and I encourage all of us to come and learn because if you remember the sad death of American George Floyd when he was down with the Police Officer holding him down, we can all use self-defence in that position.”
www.sports24ghana.com
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