My responsibility is to give football the support it deserves – President Akufo Addo affirms

President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has pledged that his government would continue to invest in sports, especially football.

President Nana Addo, said this on Tuesday March 9, 2021, when he met the victorious Black Satellites team at the Jubilee House in Accra. The meeting which lasted for about 1 hour, 15 minutes was to convey his message of congratulations to the team on winning the recent Total U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Mauritania.

“I would like to congratulate all of you for making the nation proud, said H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

“First of all, the captain who led this exercise, Mr. Daniel Afriyie, Congratulations. I would also like to thank the rest of the team, best player Fatawu Ishahaku and best goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim. You all deserve plaudits for this achievement.

“Football is a team work so even though a few people are singled out, I want to state that you all deserve to be congratulated, well done.

“To Coach Zito, you bear one of the big names in football. As a young man I saw Zito play for Brazil. Zito was a colleague of Pele in the 1958 World Cup and you have that name as part of your names. No wonder you are doing what you are doing. We will be expecting more and more from you as the years go by.

“It is obvious what my responsibility is and that is to give sports in our country especially football the maximum support it deserves and I want to assure you that we are going to do our best to do that. Because without the support its difficult to go forward in any endeavour of our life as we have seen how the support, we gave to you have played out”. President Akufo Addo added

Also, in attendance were Chief of Staff Hon. Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Nana Asante Bediatuo, Secretary to the President and other staff members at the Presidency.

The Ghana Football Association was represented by President Kurt E.S Okraku, Executive Council member Dr. Randy Abbey, who doubles as Chairman of the Black Satellites Committee and Samuel Anim Addo, Executive Council member.

Others included, Samuel Aboabire, Chairman, Greater Accra Regional Football Association (Black Satellites Management Committee member), Alhaji Abu Alhassan, Chairman of the Northern Regional Football Association (Black Satellites Management Committee member),  Michael Tawiah Attoh, National team Coordinator, Deputy General Secretary and Head of national teams department, Alexander Asante and Henry Asante Twum, Director of Communications.

Ghana beat Uganda 2-0 in the final to win a record fourth African title on Saturday, March 6, 2021 at the Olympics stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania.