The 5th Edition of the PAYOM Inter-Community Unity Games has officially commenced at the Paga Town Park in the Kasena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region, with 13 communities competing for honours in this year’s tournament.
The competition, organised by the Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM), is expected to run for several weeks and seeks to strengthen peace, unity, and development among communities in the area through sports and social interaction.
The opening match saw Zenga FC defeat Bissao FC by four goals to nil in an exciting encounter witnessed by residents, opinion leaders, and football enthusiasts.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Chairman of PAYOM, Wenawome Aborah, said the games were not only about football and entertainment but also about fostering peaceful coexistence and friendship among the people.
“Today is not only about football and entertainment, but also about strengthening peace, unity, friendship and development among our communities,” he stated.
Mr. Aborah said PAYOM remained committed to bringing young people together and promoting communal development through collective action and peaceful coexistence.
He encouraged all participating teams to compete in the spirit of discipline, friendship and sportsmanship while respecting the rules governing the tournament.
An elder in the Paga community, Thomas Awiah, in his welcome address, expressed excitement about the growing success of the games and praised organisers for introducing women’s activities into this year’s edition.
According to him, the inclusion of women in the social games marked an important milestone for the competition.
“This year, we have 13 teams competing in the games. I am very happy because there is a novelty this year, and that is the inclusion of women in the youth games,” he said.
Mr. Awiah noted that activities organised for women on the first day, including penalty shootouts, sack races and tug of peace, brought excitement and joy to the event.
He called on residents to continue supporting PAYOM, describing the movement as one that was projecting Paga positively in the Upper East Region and beyond.
The retired sportsman also appealed to players, coaches and spectators to exercise restraint and maintain discipline throughout the tournament.
“Over the years, we have not had any difficulty or problem by way of rioting or indiscipline and I am praying that this year we should continue like that,” he stated.
Mr. Awiah disclosed that a disciplinary committee had been constituted to ensure discipline and fair play during the competition.
He further revealed that apart from trophies for winners, there would also be a special trophy for the most disciplined team in the tournament.
“The well-behaved trophy is very important. Any team that wins that trophy has won the tournament,” he added.
The PAYOM Inter-Community Unity Games have, over the years, become a major platform for promoting unity, social cohesion, and youth development in the Paga community.
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