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Sixteen years after Anita Fordjour delivered Ghana's breakthrough Commonwealth Games para-sport medal, a new generation of athletes has been challenged to emulate that historic feat and return from Glasgow 2026 with a place on the podium.
The National Paralympic Committee (NPC) of Ghana has set an ambitious target for the nation's para-athletes after officially unveiling a five-member team for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with its president, Samson Deen, making it clear that Ghana is travelling to Scotland to compete for medals rather than merely make up the numbers.
"Target the podium." That was the unequivocal message from Mr Deen as Ghana formally introduced its para-athlete contingent at a colourful ceremony held on the theme, "Rising Beyond Limits, Carrying the Dreams of a Nation."
With the quadrennial event scheduled for July 28 to August 8 in Glasgow, the NPC President expressed confidence that the squad possesses the quality, experience and determination to challenge the world's best and deliver one of Ghana's strongest Commonwealth Games performances in para sport.
"These athletes are not merely participants," Mr Deen declared. "They are medal contenders. They are champions in waiting. They represent the very best of Ghanaian determination, discipline and excellence."
The team comprises Zinabu Issah in the Women's F57 Para Athletics, Botsyo Nkegbe in the Men's T54 Wheelchair Racing, Hayford Addai in the Men's T47 Para Athletics, Haruna Tahiru in the Men's 100kg+ Para Powerlifting and Promise Aheto in Para Swimming.
Leading the charge is Nkegbe, a three-time Paralympian whose experience will be invaluable as Ghana seeks to end a lengthy wait for another Commonwealth Games para-sport medal.
That pursuit inevitably brings back memories of Fordjour's historic bronze medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, a landmark achievement that remains one of the defining moments in Ghana's para-sports history.
For Mr Deen, Glasgow represents an opportunity not only to honour that legacy but to build upon it.
Paying tribute to Fordjour and the pioneers who paved the way for today's athletes, he described her podium finish as a turning point that transformed lives and inspired a generation of para-athletes across the country.
"That achievement opened doors and inspired many athletes who followed," he said. "Today, we are building upon that legacy and writing a new chapter in Ghana's sporting history."
Beyond the medal ambitions, the ceremony also reinforced the NPC's broader mission to challenge perceptions about disability and promote greater inclusion through sport.
Mr Deen reiterated that the para sport should never be viewed through the lens of charity but as a platform for excellence, empowerment and achievement.
"Disability is not inability," he stressed. "Our athletes do not seek sympathy. They seek opportunity. They seek inclusion. They seek the chance to compete and prove themselves on equal terms."
The NPC President also called on the government, corporate Ghana and the media to increase their support for para sport, arguing that investment in athletes living with disabilities generates social and national dividends far beyond competition.
"Supporting para sports is not charity," he said. "It is an investment in talent. It is an investment in inclusion. It is an investment in national development and future generations."
He further challenged the media to continue telling stories that inspire and unite the nation.
"We cannot build a successful sporting industry through negativity. We must celebrate our successes, support our athletes and tell stories that inspire."
In his final address to the athletes, Mr Deen urged them to compete with courage and belief, reminding them that reputations alone do not determine outcomes on the world stage.
"Never be intimidated by rankings or reputations," he charged. "Champions are not made on competition day; champions are revealed on competition day."
