GFA President, Kurt Okraku
Ghana Football Association President, Kurt Okraku says appropriate investment in sports will be a catalyst for Ghana to win laurels at various international sporting events.
Ghana has been starved of laurels on the international stage with below-par performances in many international sporting events.
The GFA President speaking at the breakfast meeting organized by the Presidency with CEOs of Corporate Institutions present, highlighted some of Ghana’s past success at International Sporting was down to support from Corporate Ghana, and if that relationship is rekindled it will lead to Ghana winning more laurels.
“Historically, the Black Stars have done very well anytime corporate Ghana has thrown its support behind the team” – Kurt stated.
“The only exception being the team’s inability to win the AFCON. But they have come close to winning on a number of occasions ” – He added.
The GFA President went on further to enumerate a number of instances where Corporate Ghana’s support for the Black Stars galvanized the team to earn success.
“In 2005, where Ghana was seeking to qualify for its first Senior World Cup, Goldfields Ghana LTD, threw its weight behind the team with a sponsorship package. This timely intervention led to Ghana qualifying for the 2006 World Cup in Germany”
“Then in 2010, Ghana National Petroleum Commission (GNPC) also offered the Black Stars significant sponsorship packages which helped the team to qualify for the 2010 and 2014 World Cup in South Africa and Brazil respectively.”
“The Black Stars did not only qualify for the World but also impressed the whole by reaching the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany and quarter-finals in 2010.”
“The Black Stars also reached six semi-finals in the AFCON between 2008 & 2017 and came close to winning it twice but lost in the finals,” – Kurt further stated.
“It is evidently clear that there’s a linkage between corporate support for our National teams and performance. And as we seek to replicate these memorable performances from the past we surely require the support once again”.