High Commissioner visits Black Stars

Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency Prof. Kwaku Danso-Boafo led a high powered delegation of officials from the Ghana Mission in London on Thursday to visit the Black Stars at the Hilton hotel in Milton Keynes. The Black Stars are in camp preparing to play their final friendly match with Latvia on Saturday at MK Dons stadium in Milton Keynes before they emplane to South Africa.

Addressing the Stars who were in high spirits, Professor Danso-Boafo welcomed them to the UK adding “we are all members of the Ghanaian family and so we have come here to wish you well and to assure you that as long as your stay here is concerned, we will do whatever we have to do to make your stay extremely comfortable and pleasant”.

Prof. Danso-Boafo told the Stars that the entire nation was behind them with prayers when they depart for South Africa adding “one thing I would request of you is to try as much as possible to fulfill the President’s pledge to you that you are bringing the cup back to Ghana”. H.E. said the people of Ghana had a lot of confidence in the team and their handlers and believed they would do Ghana proud by beating Latvia on Saturday and going on to South Africa to win the world up.

His Excellency also congratulated the individual members of the teams for making it into the final 23 and thanked the coach for coming this far with the Stars. He encouraged him to do his best to prepare the Stars for the onerous challenges ahead and assured him of Governments support pledging that “Government has full confidence in you”.

The Ghana Football Association team handlers were also praised for their dedication and encouraged to work hard for the task ahead.

His Excellency then presented several cartons of energy drink to the Stars. The Captain of the Stars, Stephen Appiah, who accepted the gift on behalf of the team thanked the High Commissioner and promised total commitment from himself and his colleagues to the government and people of Ghana adding "my colleagues and I are indeed happy and pleased with your visit". Mr. Appiah said “we all know that Mr. High Commissioner is expecting only one thing, which is that we go to South Africa and do well. I want to assure him that it is going to start here on Saturday. We are definitely going to South Africa and we are bringing the cup home”.

Speaking on behalf of the management team, the Chairman of the GFA, Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi thanked the High Commissioner for the visit and said the team was psyched up to play Latvia on Saturday and would “definitely reverse the loss they suffered in Holland”. Mr. Nyantakyi said the spirit in camp was positive and was hopeful that the team would carry the mood into the world cup. "We will bring the cup to Accra" he concluded to wild and enthusiastic cheers.

The High Commissioner and his team at the Ghana High Commission will join other Ghanaians from the Ghanaian Community in London and the UK to cheer the Star as they play their last friendly match against Latvia on Saturday at the MK. Dons Stadium at Milton Keynes. The Black Stars had played an earlier one in Rotterdam and painfully lost 4-1 to the Dutch National team.

Source: Information Section, Ghana High Commission, London 5th June 2010