The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, has commended the National men and women handball teams, after their achievements at the just ended Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB) Zone 3 Nations Cup in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Mr. Vanderpuye congratulated the team after they paid him a visit at the ministry to present all trophies won, as both teams finished unbeaten in the competition and lifted the trophy after defeating host nation, Burkina Faso.

He on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana and Ghanaians acknowledged the success of the team for raising the flag of Ghana high.

“I wish to say congratulations to the Black Spikers for this wonderful achievement for your selves and also for the country.

“Your performance didn’t surprise me because I have consistently believed in volleyball,“ he stated.

Mr. Vanderpuye, used the occasion to also congratulate the security services for helping to sustain volleyball in Ghana.

“We thank God the security services have taken over the sustenance of the game and want to congratulate them for their special interest in the game and to even consider to build volleyball fields around,” he noted.

The President of Volleyball Association of Ghana (VAG), Mr. Paul Atchoe, thanked the team and the technical handlers for showing commitment and fortitude throughout the preparatory stages to the finish of the competition without any financial help.

“We were given a very short notice to the competition but you managed to win all matches.

“You played with the host nation and you won against all odds and I must congratulate you for the character you shown throughout,” he said.

Mr Atchoe explained that women’s team won their match in a three straight sets while the men also won by three sets to one.

The Black Spikers won seven out of the eight awards at the tournament with Richard Amanor and Martha Bavon being awarded best attackers in the men and women divisions respectively.

Paul Akan and Cecilia Asantewa both won the best setters in the men and women division as the Best players of the tournament also went to Ghana’s Richard Amanor and Mary Addai while John Armah also won the best male libero.

The zone three which is a sub-regional tournament is made up of eight countries in West Africa with Liberia, Cote d’ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger and Burkina Faso.

The five day tournament had only four countries, Niger, Benin, Ghana and the host Burkina Faso making it for this year’s event.