Football is one of the most highly accepted sports in Bia, bringing us together and uniting thousands of people. We can all attest to the massive crowds recorded at Moseskrom every year.
Communities like Adjoafua, Asuopiri, and Yawmatwa are well known for their deep passion for football, consistently producing top talents to represent Bia West in sports.
However, hooliganism in Bia West football cannot be overlooked. We have witnessed several incidents of violence in our football community, often driven by the misguided belief that the home team must win at all costs. Additionally, some referees allow themselves to be compromised, making poor decisions that create a hostile environment for football lovers.
My attention has been drawn to the unfortunate premature ending of the Inter-Circuit Games hosted at Kojoaba last week, where a U-15 student was attacked, harassed, and beaten to the point of unconsciousness, while others sustained injuries. If not for God’s mercy and favor, Bia’s name could have been tarnished due to the tragic loss of a young boy during what was meant to be “just an Inter-Circuit School Games.”
Honestly, as a citizen of Bia, I had reservations when I heard the Inter-Circuit Games were to be hosted in Kojoaba. However, who am I to complain? The issue is not just Kojoaba—similar concerns have arisen in previous years when the games were hosted in other communities outside the district capital.
We must understand that the Inter-Circuit Games are not just an ordinary sports festival. Unlike the Inter-Schools competition, the Inter-Circuit Games represent the biggest basic school sports festival, bringing together selected students from almost all the schools in Bia. The objective is to identify the best talents to represent Bia at the inter-district games. These students represent all of us.
Are we creating the right environment to discover and nurture these young talents? What factors influence our choice of venue for these games?
- Accommodation ✅
- Proper Sports Facilities ✅
- Proper Health Center in case of emergencies ✅
- Ambulance Service ✅
- Security Service ✅
- Water Availability ✅
- Electricity ✅
Do we consider all of these? Instead, we hear statements like, “This community is supportive; they will give us this or that,” and we lose sight of the true purpose of the games.
At the end of the day, the focus is almost entirely on boys’ soccer, while the girls’ matches are reduced to 10 or 15 minutes per game. Is this not a waste of time for the girls? They train for almost a month, only to be given just 15 minutes to play. How do we then expect to select the best talents?
Just last week, our very own Mary Amponsah signed with a team in China. Do you know how much she will earn weekly? We could have many more Mary Amponsahs if we handle things properly. I hope Appiah Martin Benjamin, the pioneer of Bia women’s football, takes this matter seriously—our girls deserve better.
The Way Forward
To address these concerns, I appeal to the Sports Department of the Bia West Education Service to ensure that, going forward, the safest and best place to host the yearly Inter-Circuit Sports Festival is Debiso/Essam. The BIA SHS is the best location, offering:
- Proper accommodation for all circuits
- Reliable electricity and water supply
- Adequate security
- A good football pitch
We can always schedule the games during school midterms or vacations.
Funding the Games
The responsibility of financing this program lies with the GES and the District Assembly. If there are no resources to fund it, then cancel it. We should not organize something just because a particular community has pledged to support it.
Last year, when the games were hosted in Elluokrom, young girls were forced to walk through the bushes to Mfanteman to play their matches. This is unacceptable. We cannot continue to put our daughters in such conditions.
Just like in Kumasi, where even with several good pitches and stadiums, the yearly Inter-Schools festival is hosted at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, we must centralize our games. To cut costs, the Bia Inter-Circuit Sports Festival could be hosted over two or three days instead of one week.
- While the girls play their matches at BIASTECH,
- The boys play at Town Park or Moseskrom
- The final matches can be played at BIASTECH
Accountability for Violence in Kojoaba
I also call on the Bia West Education Service to conduct a thorough investigation into the disgraceful act of violence in Kojoaba. Those town boys who attacked the student must not go unpunished.
I speak as a concerned youth of Bia, advocating for the safety and well-being of our children. Hopefully, our education leaders will make the right decisions in the best interest of all students.
Kudos to the GES for organizing an exceptional 68th Independence Day March Past—one of the best we have witnessed.
Hopefully, the next DCE will not rest on just the AstroTurf. Thanks to Blay for that high-profile project—the people of Bia will make good use of it. We must ensure that all sporting competitions, possibly including our Division Two League, are hosted there instead of allowing them to turn into war zones.
Together, Bia will be a great and peaceful place for us all. Thank you.
Credit: Hassan Saeed Pascal
