The 2022 edition of the Diamond FM Damba Festival Fun Games lit up the Magnolia Recreational Centre on Saturday morning as competing teams slugged it out for the bragging rights for the next one year. The colorful event generated a charged atmosphere at the venue.
The fan games put together by Diamond FM in connection with the annual Damba Festival brought together the crème de la crème of sports in the region in general with the Northern Regional Football Association’s (NRFA) chairman Alhaj Abu Hassan Mahamadu Rhyzo in attendance and people from all walks of life.
The competition brought together a total of nine teams competing in football and gold ball competition.
The unique thing about the 2022 edition was the venue for the games which is the Magnolia Recreational Centre where the accompanied weekend special menu of local dishes brought some spark to participants and spectators alike.
In the games itself, the Bonaboto Youth came up against the Dagaabas. Gonjas faced off against the Kasena while Dagombas faced their Moshie counterparts. In the political parties’ competition, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) faced their rivals, the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Also, the Ghana Blind Union weren’t left out as usual as the Tamale Metro branch faced the Sagnarigu Municipal branch in the special gold ball match for visually impaired people.
At the end of the games, Dagombas defeated their Moshie counterparts by 5 goals to 1. The Gonjas defeated the Kasena Youth by 3 goals to 2 and Dagaabas lost by 4 goals to 2 to the Bonaboto Youth. In the political parties match the opposition NDC defeated the ruling NPP 8-7 on penalties after a 1-1 drawn game after regulation time.
In the gold ball game, Tamale Metro lost to Sagnarigu Municipal by 7 goals to 2. After that game however, a team of volunteers were blind folded to play against a combined team of Tamale Metro and Sagnarigu Municipal. The combined team of the Blind Union won by 3 goals to 1. The aim of that game was to as it were afford the volunteers the opportunity to have a feel of what the visually impaired people face. Below is a catalogue of all the games results after regulation time.
Football Full Time Results
Bonaboto Youth 4-2 Dagaabas
Gonjas 3-2 Kasena Youth
Dagombas 5-1 Moshie
NDC 1-1 NPP (NDC won 8-7 on penalties)
Gold Ball Results
Tamale Metro 2-7 Sagnarigu Municipal
Tamale Metro & Sagnarigu Combined Team 3-1 Volunteers Team
At the end of the competition the winners took home a trophy each and assorted drinks including predator energy drink and bottles of water. The losers also took home the same quantities of the drinks and water.
The NRFA chairman Alhaj Abu Hassan Rhyzo also rewarded the two Ghana Blind Union teams with a GH₵ 100 each.
The climax of the Diamond Damba Festival activities will take place on Thursday 3rd November, 2022 at the premises of Diamond FM at Nkrumah Volini on the Industrial Area road after Nyohini roundabout where a blood donation exercise will be held to feed the blood bank of the Tamale Teaching Hospital and the Tamale West Hospital. That event begins at 7:00am prompt.
Also, widows and orphans, some members of the Ghana Blind Union and members of the general public will be registered onto the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for free. Others will have their existing cards renewed for the coming year. This is thanks to the partnership with the Tamale Metro NHIS office and generous donations from the public.
