Renowned Ghanaian sports administrator, Salim Fari Yakubu has been unanimously elected as the new General Secretary of the Confederation of Africa Rafting (CAR) for a term of four years.
Mr.Yakubu, who went unopposed, got approval votes from all the delegates in a zoom congress over the weekend.
The election makes him the first Ghanaian to attain a position on the continental body.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Yakubu pledged his commitment to the development of the sport on the continent to a reputable level.
'” This is a call to duty and a test of my commitment. I pledge to work assiduously with other executives of CAR to push rafting to a reputable level by getting more countries on board,” Yakubu said expressing his eagerness to commence office soon.
On the local front, he hinted that his focus would first be on the coastal belt, roping in towns such as Ada, Sogakope, Cape Coast and Takoradi into the sport.
The businessman and sports administrator appealed to Ghanaians and the Sports Ministry to support him bring the benefits of his new position to bear on the nation.
“I remain optimistic Ghana would benefit from this feat as we use sports as a tool for national development,” he declared.
Rafting, a water sport, is highly practised in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Togo, Mauritius, Rwanda, Senegal, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia and South Africa.
It is not limited to coastal countries alone but also those with water bodies or who can improvise.
