The Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Kwame Asiamah, has asked members of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to protect the sanctity, integrity and the image of football in the country to enable them attract the much-needed investment and the support from corporate Ghana.
“Please, together let us protect the sanctity, integrity and the image of football in the country.”
The image of the sport has suffered some serious battering in recent times and has led to many keen followers as well as potential sponsors losing interest in investing in the sport.
Addressing the 26th Ordinary Congress of the GFA yesterday in Prampram, Mr Asiamah noted that negative energy of some elements close to the sport would affect investor support, adding that channeling those energies positively would be more beneficial to the entire cause and align with their responsibility of ensuring that the game is developed.
“When you damage the brand, it affects you. The branding of football is your job; it is my job. we need to make the game more attractive so that we can get the kind of investment and support from corporate Ghana that we need.
“My special appeal to you as a minister is that if we all believe as critical stakeholders, as decision-makers, as people who call the shots in football, who are hugely placed to ensure that football develops, please these three key words should guide all of us.
“The sanctity, the integrity and the image of football should be protected at all times and on any platform that you find yourself and this is key.”
Whilst assuring the public that football will be back very soon, the Minister further advised the leadership of the Football Association not to let the people down by taking their patronage of the game and trust reposed in them for granted.
He said the least the FA can do is to manage football with the integrity, transparency and the passion the sport deserves.
“This is the platform for football discussion, the decision-making and for everything football. So, the debate about football should be at congress; do not take the congress platform for a joke at all for this is what we have and we should utilise this opportunity.”
He disclosed that the ministry’s excitement about the innovations and a new wind blowing in Ghana football and its readiness to partner the association to achieve the football desires of the Nation.
“The Ministry pledges its commitment to you and will offer the needed support for the decisions that would be arrived at this very important Congress,” he further said.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
