By Tom Degun in London

Nkegbe Botsyo__Anita_FordjourAugust 21 - Ghana can make history at the London 2012 Paralympics by winning their first ever medal at the competition, claims Bishop Cornelius Adja Cofie, President of the country's National Paralympic Committee (NPC).

Ghana made its Paralympic Games debut in Athens in 2004 where Nkegbe Botsyo (pictured top, left) and Ajara Mohammed competed in athletics and Alfred Adjetey Sowah in powerlifting.

Botsyo and Mohammed returned to compete as Ghana's only representatives at the Beijing 2008 Paralympics but the country have never won a medal at the Games.

However, Ghana have qualified four athletes for London 2012 with powerlifter Charles Narh Teye, paracyclist Alem Mumuni (pictured below) and wheelchair racers Anita Fordjour (pictured top, right) and the returning Botsyo all set to represent the country at the Games.

The quartet are Ghana's most prepared Paralympic athletes ever having attended a special year-long training camp at the West African country's Right to Dream Academy while they are currently staying at their pre-London 2012 training base at the University of Bedfordshire before moving to the Athletes' Village.

"I think that this team will come out with at least a medal," said Cofie, who is with the team in Bedfordshire.

"All the athletes are in excellent shape for the task ahead.

"They are training hard and they are ready for the Paralympics."

Alem Mumuni
Cofie singled out wheelchair racer Fordjour as the team's biggest medal hope in the T54 1500 metres after she won a bronze medal at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and improved her ranking this year to number four in the world.

"Fodjour is currently the number four in the world and this puts her in a very good position to win a medal," he said.

"She can definitely win one if she gives her best performance.

"I also think Mumuni is capable of winning a medal for the nation because he is in very good form and producing good times.

"We are doing our best to give all the team the support they need to break into the medal zone."

Mumuni, who will be the first Ghanaian cyclist to compete at a Paralympics, added that he is in good spirits ahead of the Games.

"The battle has just begun," he said.

"I will work so hard to make Ghana and Africa proud.

"It is a great honour to have qualified.

"I want to change people's perceptions about people with physical disabilities.

"I have seen that the talent I have in sport is one of the tools I can use to do that."

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August 2011: Ghanaian athletes to compete at London 2012 Paralympics through Right to Dream Talent Academy