Take Volta Out of Soccer Doldrums, Minister

Mr. Kofi Dzamesi, Deputy Volta Regional Minister on Monday inaugurated an eight-member Volta Regional Football Association at Ho with a call on them to take the region out of the soccer doldrums it finds itself.

"For sometime now things have not been smooth. We have found it difficult to take our teams out of the doldrums into formidable sides," he stated.

Mr. Dzamesi said sports has now become business and, therefore, advised them to market the teams and players in the region to attain national and international standards.

He asked members to approach their duties diligently in order to avoid litigation.

Mr. Francis Dogbatse, an accounting staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Ho is chairman of the association with Mr. Wilson Danquah, Manager of Heritage Distilleries also in Ho as vice-chairman.

Other members are Mr. Safadzi Frank Dzawu, a retired teacher, Mr. Francis Akpo, a retired referee and match commissioner, Mr. Paul Nutsugah of the Regional Sports Council, secretary and Mr. Godwill Geraldo-De-Lima, Regional Sports Development Officer.

Mr. Dogbatse said the association would live up to the challenge by raising the standard of football in the region.

Mr. Geraldo-De-Lima said the Association which had not been reconstituted for many years now has the responsibility to organise football matches from division five to two and also supervise and develop juvenile and women's soccer.

He said a representative of second division clubs in the region would be selected to join the committee.

Mr. Livingstone Djokoto, Director of Human Resources at the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) who chaired the function challenged the association to produce three national players, two others in women's soccer and juvenile stars before the end of the year

Meanwhile Mr. Gerald-De-Lima has announced that Mr. Anue Kofie, a former national star has donated two trophies to be competed for in juvenile and women's soccer in the region.

He also announced that Winneba Sports Academy under 15 soccer side would meet their Ho counterparts at the Ho Sports Stadium on Saturday.