By S. Siapha Mulbah
The Western region of Africa is currently focusing its attention on Liberia, which will soon host one of the largest regional competitions on the continent known as the West African Chess Championship (WACC), with participation confirmed from over 10 countries.
The Liberia Chess Federation (LCF), the governance body of the game in the country which focuses on the capacity building of players to enhance mental reliability and confidence in decision-making making has confirmed to this paper that Monrovia will be power in the coming days with the championship featuring many African countries.
Speaking to this paper on Monday, April 23, 2024, the president of the federation, Thomas Karyah, disclosed that the Liberia Chess Federation has honored the hosting of the competition formally known as the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Zone 4.2 Individual Chess Championships.
The WACC or FIDE Zone 4.2 chess competition is an annual event endorsed and participated by national federations affiliated with the World Chess body and provides a space across all sections of the board game.
Karyah confidently stated that the event is scheduled for May 9 – 18, 2024, and will take place in Monrovia. This event promises numerous opportunities for local participants, given the confirmation of attendance from foreign delegates, officials, and professional chess players.
He said hosting the prestigious chess event presents a unique privilege opportunity for Liberia’s sports community. It will serve as a platform to showcase numerous potentials and benefit various sectors, including the economy.
Key among the objectives of the local chess house hosting the regional event is to increase awareness concerning the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse by young people in Liberia, the Federation President said.
He explained that young people in the country and the region in furtherance have become subjected to the use of harmful substances and intake of hardcore drugs that pose an antagonistic effect on the persons and growth of the country and region.
Karyah noted that the 2024 edition of WACC is committed to initiating a fight against drugs and substance abuse to have more young men and women shipping their directions from being used to becoming critical thinkers and future decision-makers to benefit the continent.
With a new developmental agenda of administration capturing tourism as a priority of the current government, Thomas Karyah explained that having over 10 countries represented in Liberia for the period of the competition is an attractive bid to boost the country’s tourism sector.
He called for collaboration among local and international businesses stressing that as the visitors get into the country, they will be hoping to have a series of other discussions and negotiations on the sidelines for partnership.
According to him, it is in the interest of the Liberia Federation to promote Liberia-owned businesses so that the citizens themselves can have some level of impact on their personal lives and be able to put out the best for Liberia after the event.
Countries across the region expected to be in Monrovia following their confirmations and previous participation in different recognized competitions are Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Ghana, Togo, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, Gambia, Mali and host Liberia.
According to the Liberia Chess Federation, every country participating in the upcoming event is required to register two official players as the least and at most five players as addition to their respective teams.
Thomas Karyah also clarified that there are key considerations in some countries in the number of players to be featured during the event and host Liberia will have a specific number of players based on foreign teams and players registration.
