After watching first-hand the fun, excitement and competition in the sport, Stephen Oduro, Managing Director of state-owned SIC Insurance Company Limited, has reiterated the outfit’s commitment to the development of golf in the country.
“Golf is played by all ages and enjoyed by a whole range of people as well as, it also provides us an opportunity to engage our stakeholders which include golfers and bring them together to network on the course,” the SIC Insurance boss said.
Speaking further to the media, on the sidelines during the recently held Second Presidential Golf Tournament at the Royal Golf Club in Kumasi, Mr. Oduro disclosed that SIC Insurance agreed to partner the organizers due to the unique opportunity provided by the event.
“This is historic, never happened before. For the first time in the history of golf in the country, we are having the real occasion of the Head of State and two glamorous royals providing a historic tee-off and even participating, in apparent reference to the patronising of the event by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Okyehene, Amoatia Ofori Panin II.
“SIC Insurance, the leading Insurance Company in Ghana with the slogan “panyin di panyin” has no option than to associate ourselves with this event,” he added.
According to Mr. Oduro, the game of golf also falls in line with the company’s core values of professionalism, respect, sense of urgency, trust and relationship.
“These are completely similar to the tenents and values of the sport which are discipline, integrity, honesty and unity which golf players are expected to exhibit on the golf course,” he explained.
Mr. Oduro added that the company also shares in the vision of the theme for the event, ‘Transforming the Nation Through Golf’ because the sports brings together various business executives and players across board to create the necessary common platform to generate as well as nurture business ideas with innovative thinking and an environment for building strong networks.
Elaborating on the health benefits associated with golf, the SIC Insurance boss reckoned that, having time to exercise is one of the biggest challenges of top executives today and urged mass participation in the sport to overcome the challenge.
“Golf is a sport that provides the opportunity to exercise and let out stress. Walking on the course for almost four (4) to five (5) hours provides abundant health benefits,” he appealed.
On SIC Insurance’s golf sponsorship portfolio, he reiterated the company is committed to the sponsorship of the sports and has previously sponsored a tournament at the Tema Golf course, revealing plans are far advance to sponsor an invitational tournament to be hosted by Achimota Golf Club in a few months.
The Head of State tournament was started in 2017 as an event designed for the nation’s best executive players.
The event had Sammy Hage and Mary Prempeh, both of the Kumasi Royal Golf Club winning the men’s and women’s events respectively.
A dinner to climax the occasion was graced by the Head of State, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Okyenhene Amoatia Ofori Panin II as well as some traditional rulers and Ministers of State.
Submitted by Prince Dornu-Leiku
Editor, Sports in Ghana and Dornu’s Corner
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