Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif
The Ministry of Youth and Sports have said they will need US$25 Million for Ghana’s campaign at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 FIFA World Cup according to Government.
President Nana Akuffo Addo made this known at a meeting with CEO’s from Corporate Ghana at the Jubilee House on Monday.
According to the Minister of Youth and Sports Mustapha Ussif, winning the AFCON and qualifying to the 2022 World Cup is still Ghana’s dream.
“It is the dream of our nation to win the Africa Cup of Nations again in Cameroon next year, and to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
“These campaigns require a substantial amount of investment to be able to execute this mandate and government alone cannot shoulder the cost at the expense of other sporting disciplines,” Mustapha Ussif told a gathering of CEOs from corporate Ghana.
He called on the corporate entities to make it a point to support the Black Stars as it has been in the past which led to the team achieving an enviable feat.
“Historically, the Black Stars have performed well every time corporate Ghana has thrown it weight behind the team, the only exception has been the teams inability to win the AFCON but they have come so close to winning on number of occasions,” the sports minister.
“In 2005, when the Black Stars were seeking to qualify for Ghana’s first ever senior World Cup, Goldfields Ghana limited threw it’s weight with sponsorship package, this timely intervention helped the team to qualify to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Mustapha Ussif stressed on the need for Government to support the Black Stars and how it will influence other sporting disciplines.
“Supporting the Black Stars will enable government to use the sports budget to support other disciplines especially as the nation gear towards the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, announced at the meeting that government will provide $10 million of the required amount and have set up a 4-member committee, headed by the Sports Minister to help in raising the remaining the $15 million.
The Black Stars have already booked their spot at next year’s AFCON and will start the qualifying campaign for the 2022 World Cup in June.