President John Dramani Mahama has lauded the University for Development Studies (UDS) community on their remarkable triumph at the World University Games.
President Mahama, who made a GH¢500,000 donation to the university, said the victory further puts the school on the world map as an institution of perseverance, having risen from humble beginnings.
The Tamale-based university defeated defending champions, Paulista University of Brazil, in a pulsating 2-1 victory in the grand finale to win gold at the games held in Dalian, China, on September 28, 2025.
“The story of your victory can be termed ‘Tamale to the world,’” President Mahama stated when the team presented the trophy to him at the Presidency in Accra yesterday. “You’ve brought glory to Ghana and renewed faith in the power of young people in education and sports to transform lives. Carry this victory with humility, and let it inspire others to dream boldly and work hard.”
According to him, the UDS victory perfectly embodies the spirit of the reset agenda—Ghana rising through discipline, opportunity, and excellence.
The Government, through the Ministries of Sports and Recreation and Education, President Mahama said, was working to strengthen youth and university sports systems to ensure that talented students were identified, developed, and supported to reach professional levels.
To give this dream life, he revealed that a Schools Sports Authority was being set up to concentrate on sports development from the basic through secondary to tertiary levels of education.
“It is going to have a separate budget and hold constant competitions among schools so that we can identify the talents early and promote them into the national teams,” he assured.
In his view, sports and recreation are integral to Ghana’s reset agenda because they promote national unity, discipline, and social inclusion, while creating pathways for youth employment and entrepreneurship.
“Our goal, therefore, is to develop a new ecosystem where sports is seen not only as entertainment but as a viable sector contributing to Ghana’s economic growth,” the President stated.
To this end, he said government was investing in sports infrastructure, talent development programmes, and recreational facilities across schools and communities to ensure that young people everywhere discover and nurture their potential.
Briefing the President on how the team achieved the feat, the Vice Chancellor of UDS, Professor Seidu Al-hassan, said they adopted a rigorous around-the-clock training programme grounded in discipline.
Professor Al-hassan assured that UDS would not be complacent but would build on this success to defend the title in two years’ time. He also pledged the judicious use of a 64-seater bus the President promised to the university.
Accompanying the UDS team were the Ministers of Sports and Education, Kofi Adams and Haruna Iddrisu, Member of Parliament for Tamale South, where the university is located.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
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