Mr. Roland Ofei Ansah, Retail Sales Lead of Star Assurance Group has explained why his company decided to bear the cost of the health screening of professional boxers in Ghana following the death of two boxers.

He told yours Truly in an exclusive interview that the Star Assurance Group took the move as a corporate social responsibility since most boxers and promoters find it difficult to undertake the screening exercise which has been established as mandatory by the Interim Management Committee of Ghana Boxing.

 “We know boxing is sport and entertainment and many young guys are involved so we didn't want them to loose their lives through negligence so we decided to come in when approached by the sports authorities” he said.

He noted that the initiative is part of their broader desire to promote athlete's safety, longevity, and professionalism in Ghanaian boxing.

He hinted that the exercise is expensive however they want to contribute to the safety of Ghana's talented athletes.

Mr. Gideon Oyiadzo, Coordinator of the IMC who was very much elated with the positive response of the boxers with their massive turn out to register said the suspension on local boxing has been lifted and they have sanctioned a bill by Dzata Promotions n Tarkwa which is going to test the ground on the new line of action taken to ensure that boxing is organised well in Ghana.

The licenced professional boxers appreciate and support the health screening initiative of the Interim Management Committee of Ghana Boxing which started on Monday at the Lapaz Community Hospital.

The initiative is part of the recommendations of the Lawyer Amarkai Amarteifio investigative committee that was set up after the passing of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Oluwsegun, before Ernest Akushey aka Bahubali also passed.

The National Sports Authority (NSA), under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and Recreation (MoSR) teamed up with Star Assurance Group to organize the health screening exercise for all registered Ghanaian boxers.

The screening started with registration at the Jamestown Police Station from where the boxers are conveyed in a bus to the Lapaz Community Hospital for the mandatory laboratory tests. The exercise would take one week.

The boxers who are screened would be captured in the database of the independent Medical and Safety Commission (MSC).

Abu Kamoko aka ‘Ambitious Tilapia’, and his colleagues thanked Star Assurance for their sponsorship and hoped that it would be successful.

Other boxers who spoke were Daniel Gorsh. Abraham Tetteh, Africanus Neequaye, Henry Malm, Ben Ankrah, Stephen Coffie, Alfred Lamptey as well as Coach Ebenezer Adjei of the Black Panthers Gym.

Senior coach Dr. Ofori Asare who is a member of the IMC advised that the health screening exercise is part of the prerequisites for the mandatory re-registration of all Ghanaian Boxers willing and able to fight under the flag of Ghana. 

He also commended Star Assurance Group and urged all boxers to participate and cooperate.

Dr. Philip Amekudzi of the Lapaz Community Hospital expressed that the tests would include mandatory medical tests necessary to ensure that all boxers are healthy and fit to compete.

He announced that they have the modern equipment to test many ailments and advised the boxers to obey their coaches and take good care of their lives by choosing the health facilities first and not the last choice when they have problems.

By Sammy Heywood Okine