President of the Ghana Paralympic Committee, Samson Deen, has announced his decision to contest in the next Election of the National Paralympic Committee which is set to take place on October 4, 2024.
Deen is in his fifth year since being voted into power as President by the NPC-Ghana General Assembly on July 6, 2019.
Speaking to the media during a General Assembly which was held at the Airport West Hotel on Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Accra, the incumbent President made his intentions clear.
"Yes, I will contest. I will contest for President of the National Paralympic Committee for the second time," he said.
His first term of office saw Ghana host the first African Para Games, where the Black Challenge (Amputee Football Team) excitedly excelled in winning the tournament. He also sourced and provided modern equipment for athletes and facilitated the travel of athletes and coaches for exposure and experience to qualify for Paris 2024.
He hoped that some athletes would qualify for the Paralympic Games in Paris, France, which is the major international event after the 2024 Olympic Games.
Deen has been a Ghanaian Hospitality, Communication and Sports Management consultant since 2003; he founded the African Origin Travels and Sports Tourism, AOG Construction Services, Visa Assist and Immigration Experts, Sportsfirst Management and African Origin Group of Companies in 2017.
He is currently the President of the African Paralympic Committee (APC). Deen polled 24 of the votes cast, beating Morocco’s Hamid El Aouni, who polled 15 to replace Leonel da Rocha Pinto, who reigned for 13 years. The APC Election took place in Morocco.
He is a member of the Local Organising Committee and Chairman of the Transport Sub-Committee of the 13th African Games, which has been declared the best Games since 1965. Fifty-three countries participated in 29 disciplines across ten Accra and Cape Coast venues.
Credit: Kwame Benaiah