DACE HOSTS THE 15TH INTERCOLLEGIATE SPORTS FESTIVAL OF VOLTI ZONE

The 15th Biennial Intercollegiate Sports and Games Festival of Volta and Oti Regions took
place this year at Dambai College of Education Sports Complex in the Oti regional capital,
Dambai. The one-week event, which took place after about four (4) years break due to the
Covid-19 pandemic, spanned from Sunday, June 26 to Sunday, July 3, 2022. The last
competition was hosted in 2018 by Peki College of Education, Peki in the Volta Region.
The colleges that participated in this year’s events included the following: Dambai College of
Education (DACE) and Jasikan College of Education (JASICO) from the Oti Region. The
rest of the participating colleges from the Volta region were: St. Francis’ College of
Education (FRANCO), St. Teresa’s College of Education (TERESCO) from Hohoe; E.P
College of Education, Amedzofe (AMECO), Peki College of Education (a.k.a. GOVCO) and
Akatsi College of Education (AKATSICO).

Lighting of the Games’ Flame Led by Team
DACE during the Official Opening Ceremony

Teams of the Participating Colleges at the Official
Opening Ceremony of the Tournament

Captains of the Participating Teams; Led by the DACE Captain, about to Deliver the Tournament’s Flag for
Hoisting during the Official Opening Ceremony of the Tournament

The official opening ceremony for the event took place on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. The
opening ceremony which was chaired by the Chonke Overlord, Nana Daasebre
Atamafowiese Bonja II, was graced by the Oti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Joshua
Gmayenaam Makubu, the Krachi East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Francis Kofi
Okeso, the Chairman of Volti Colleges of Education Sports Association (COESA), Dr.
Dickson Tsey, the Host Principal, Dr. Mrs. Benedicta Awusi Atiku, Principals from the other
six colleges of education within the Volti Zone, the Oti Regional Commander of Ghana
Police Service, DCOP Charles Dormanba, the Krachi East Municipal Commander of Ghana
Police Service, Superintendent Samuel Aboagye, the Krachi East Municipal Commander of
Ghana Fire and Rescue Service, ADO I, Mr. Victor Kudoadzi and the Divisional Chiefs of
Dambai.

The Guest of Honour, Hon. Dr. Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu; Other Guests and Principals of the
Participating Colleges at the Official Opening Ceremony

The official opening ceremony was crowned with a football match between Dambai College
of Education (DACE) and E.P. College of Education, Amedzofe (AMECO). Dambai College
of Education won the match by two (2) goals to nil.

The Soccer Team of DACE Set to Battle with
AMECO in the Opening Match

The Soccer Team of AMECO Ready to Face
DACE in the Opening Fixture

Men’s Football Officials Ready to Officiate the Opening
Match between DACE and AMECO

It must be noted that athletic competitions mainly took place on Monday and Tuesday before
the official opening ceremony. The official opening ceremony could not take place on
Monday as scheduled due to some challenges beyond the control of the organizers of the
competition.

Inspection of Participating Teams by Dignitaries; Led by the Chairman of the Volti Colleges of Education
Sports Association (COESA), Dr. Dickson Tsey and the Host Principal, Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Awusi Atiku

The host Principal, Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Awusi Atiku, in her welcome address highlighted
the importance of sports and how it has produced prominent personalities in the country such
as: Abedi Pele, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari among others. She therefore encouraged all
competitors to put up their best in the tournament.

In his address, the Oti Regional Minster, Hon. Dr. Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu, advised all
students; especially, the sports men and women to desist from the use of illicit drugs. He also
stressed the fact that sporting activities go a long way to foster unity among various social
groups. Dr. Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu ended his speech by advising both competitors and
spectators to eschew all forms of hooliganism during the sports festival.

The Oti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu Delivering
His Address at the Official Opening Ceremony of the Tournament

The competition featured various disciplines such as handball, volleyball, soccer, netball,
table tennis, cross country, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, 5000m, 4 by 100m, 4
by 400m, 1600m mild medley, shot put, discus, javelin, high jump, triple jump and long
jump. All competitors put in their best and showed a high level of sportsmanship and
discipline throughout the period, culminating in the success of tournament.

Excerpts from Some of the Disciplines

It is worth noting and gratifying that a record was broken in this year’s tournament by two
sports men in the area of Javelin. The old record, which was 46.21m, was set by Saneke
Newman from St. Francis’ College of Education (FRANCO) in 2018. But that record was
cleared in this year’s tournament by two athletes: Dovi Christian Atsu of A
katsi College of Education and Lawrence Kumah of Dambai College of Education who threw
48.47m and 48.01m respectively.
At the end of the sports festival, the general results are summarized as follows: in men’s
category, Jasikan College of Education (JASICO) placed first with 9 gold, 4 silver and 5
bronze medals. The second position went to Akatsi College of Education (AKATSICO)
which won 4 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals. St. Francis’ College of Education
(FRANCO) followed closely in the third position with 3 gold, 5 silver, and 7 bronze medals.
2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals were enough for Peki College of Education (a.k.a.
GOVCO) to secure the fourth position. The host, Dambai College of Education (DACE)
placed fifth by winning 1 gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze medals. E.P. College of Education,
Amedzofe (AMECO), which won only 1 gold medal, placed sixth.

In the women’s category, St. Teresa’s College of Education (TERESCO) emerged as the
overall best; winning 8 gold, 9 silver and 4 bronze medals. The second place went to Akatsi
College of Education (AKATSICO) with 6 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals. St. Francis’
College of Education (FRANCO) placed third by winning 5 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze
medals. The fourth position went to Jasikan College of Education (JASICO) with 2 gold, 5
silver and 2 bronze medals. The fifth position went to Peki College of Education with 2 silver
and 3 bronze medals whilst the sixth position was secured by E.P. College of Education,
Amedzofe (AMECO) with 3 bronze medals. The host, Dambai College of Education (DACE)
placed seventh with 2 bronze medals.

*OUR FOOTBALL TROPHY, OUR GOLD, THE ULTIMATE*

Trophies for other disciplines were also awarded to the deserving teams on behalf of their respective colleges. The Chairman of Volti Zone Colleges of Education Sports Association (COESA), Dr. Dickson Tsey, in handing over the tournament flag to the next host, indicated that the next tournament would be held in 2024 at St Francis’ College of Education (FRANCO), located at Hohoe in the Volta Region.

The men’s football trophy (the ultimate trophy in soccer) won by the DACE Soccer Team was presented to some stakeholders of the college after the tournament. The stakeholders to whom the trophy was presented included the Chonke Overlord, Nana Daasebre Atamafowiese Bonja II; the Chief of Dambai Traditional Area, Nana Kwaku Beyenor, the Oti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Joshua Gmayenaam Makubu; the Krachi East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Francis Kofi Okeso; and the Oti Regional Commander of Ghana Police Service, DCOP Charles Dormanba