Sports News of Friday, 9 December 2011

Source: GNA

Govt pledges support for Stars AFCON campaign

Accra, Dec. 8, GNA – Government has pledged support to the Black Stars in their quest to win next year’s Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The Black Stars has yet to lay their hands unto the ‘Holy Grail’ of African football which has remained elusive for almost 30 years after their fourth triumph in 1982 in Libya.

Clement Kofi Humado, Minister of Youth and Sports who announced this during his turn at the 'Meet the Press' Series on Thursday in Accra, said Government will provide the necessary support to aid the Stars in their quest for the ultimate at the 28th edition of the biennial championship.

“Government will provide all the assistance and support necessary to ensure that the Black Stars, as one of the favourites of the tournament will break the jinx and win the Afriac Cup of Nations for the fifth time.”

Mr Humado described the Black Stars qualification for the tournament as heartwarming since it was the 18th time the senior national team had reached the final of the continental flagship since its inception in 1957.

On the improvement on the performance of the national teams, he mentioned the ‘No school, no football’ policy of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) as a step in the right direction.

The Minister explained that the policy was already yielding dividends as the Black Princesses squad that won silver at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique are among its products.

Mr Humado assured that his outfit will do its best to sustain the programme to produce talented and educated players for the various national teams.

The Minister also commended the Black Princesses for their silver performance at the multi-sport event and also lauded the Black Meteors for winning gold at the event.

The feat remains the country’s best in football in the history of the quadrennial All Africa Games.