Canteen, West Gonja Municipality – The Assemblyman for the Canteen Electoral Area, Hon. Ananpansah Bartholomew Abraham(AB), has capped the year with a successful 5th Edition of the Assemblyman’s End-of-Year Gala Matches and Community Sports & Development Festival, reaffirming his commitment to youth empowerment, unity and grassroots development.
Held under the theme “Promoting a Healthy Community and Driving Development Through Sports – The Role of Local Leadership,” the festival brought together the youth and residents of Canteen in a celebration of sport, talent and community spirit. Six teams drawn from the four zones of the electoral area competed fiercely for the ultimate prize, drawing large crowds of community members, chiefs, and opinion leaders.
The grand finale was preceded by a thrilling draft competition, where Musah Awal, popularly known as Drogba, emerged as champion.
On the pitch, history was made as Brand Empire FC lifted the trophy after edging Mountain Movers Federation Club 5–3 on penalties, following a pulsating 2–2 draw at full time. Brand Empire FC took home the gold prize, GH¢700 and cartons of drinks, while Mountain Movers secured the silver prize with GH¢500 and cartons of drinks. Central Canteen FC finished third, earning GH¢300 and cartons of drinks.
Individual brilliance also took centre stage. Alhassan Manaf was named the Most Promising Player of the tournament, Mahama Adnan emerged as Best Goalkeeper, and Central Canteen FC was adjudged the Most Disciplined Team. All award winners received cash prizes, while draft champion Musah Awal was also rewarded for his performance.
In a symbolic gesture reflecting his passion for youth development, Hon. Ananpansah donated three footballs – one each to the Canteen Juvenile Team, the senior Canteen team, and the Under-9 team of St. Anne’s. He pledged personal responsibility for nurturing young talents, stressing that early development remains the surest path to sporting excellence.
Addressing the gathering, the Assemblyman urged the youth to remain united beyond partisan politics and to always put Canteen first. He assured residents that the gala matches and sports festival have come to stay and will grow stronger each year. “As an Assemblyman, I remain committed to promoting sports, academic excellence and unearthing youth talent for community development,” he said, expressing confidence that the area would soon produce stars of national and international stature.
Highlighting achievements under his tenure, Hon. Ananpansah cited the construction of a volleyball court, donations of jerseys, footballs and other sporting kits, alongside several capital projects initiated within his short period in office.
The Assemblyman warmly acknowledged and thanked all the individuals who willingly supported the event financially, noting that their generosity reflects a genuine love for community and sets a powerful example for others to give back and help drive collective progress.
He appealed for support to urgently fence the Canteen Park to protect and enhance the community’s sporting infrastructure.
The event attracted the representative of the Member of Parliament for Damongo Constituency, fellow Assembly Members of the West Gonja Municipal Assembly, officials of the Municipal Sports Association, chiefs, religious leaders, media and other stakeholders.
Speaker after speaker praised the initiative and called for sustained support to scale up the impact of sports as a tool for development.
As the final whistle blew on another memorable edition, one message stood clear: in Canteen, sports is not just a game – it is a pathway to unity, opportunity, and a brighter future.
Source: Office of the Assemblyman
