GFA to partner British High Commission for peaceful elections

The Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the British High Commission have announced a strategic partnership aimed at using football as a medium to promote peace during the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections in November.

The partnership was announced on Tuesday after the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Jon Benjamin, held a closed-door meeting with officials of the GFA, including its president, Kwesi Nyantakyi, and his vice, George Afriyie, at the GFA Secretariat in Accra.

According to the GFA president, who briefed pressmen after the meeting, the two parties also discussed ways to collaborate regarding the development of football in the country.

Mr Nyantakyi said, "We discussed issues of mutual interest to Ghana football and the UK and also about using football as an instrument to promote peace during the elections.”

"I can confirm to you that we are not enemies of the High Commissioner; we are very good friends and we respect his views and hope to build on this relationship to improve football in the country," he added.

The High Commissioner, whose visit comes after his allegations earlier that GFA officials used monies from FIFA to acquire luxury cars instead of using them to develop football pitches, said the issue had been discussed with both sides issuing and accepting apologies.

He stressed that the High Commission would be honoured to make a contribution to the election through football, given that the election is a sovereign affair.

Mr Benjamin added that both parties had resolved to work together to popularise the work of the foundation of the first black professional footballer, Arthur Wharton.

He also expressed gratitude to the GFA for welcoming him to their offices, and added that he was looking forward to visiting other GFA facilities such as the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence at Prampram.