Kumasi, June 23, GNA - Members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Kumasi Venue Organizing Committee (KVOC) of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) 2008 on Friday called on Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene at his Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

The call was to enable the Committee members introduce themselves to the Otumfuo, brief him on the preparations so far made towards the competition and to also solicit for his support and participation in the games to ensure its success.

Mr Magnus Rex Danquah, Chief Operating Officer of the LOC who briefed the Asantehene said Sunday, January 20, 2008 will be the opening ceremony of the competition and invited the Otumfuo to grace the occasion at the Ohene Djan Sports stadium in Accra. He said the nation has had the opportunity to host such competitions on three occasions in the 1978, 1999, 2000 and hoped the preparations so far made would make next years' competition very popular and spectacular.

Mr Danquah who also briefed the Asantehehe on sanitation programmes and security, stressed the need for all Ghanaians to work hard to ensure its success for the benefit of everybody.

He announced that special brochures and other documents on the competition have been prepared not only on the venues and place of the games but on activities from all parts of the country to ensure that the competition becomes very successful. Mr Danquah said there would be jamborees in September and balloting of the teams and venues in October at the Accra Conference Centre. He said the LOC requires huge financial resources and would therefore embark on merchandise and commercial activities to meet such an objective and appealed to the business community, corporate organisations and individuals to collaborate to make it and eventful event.

Mr Danquah pointed out that Ashanti and other cultures of the country, music and dance would be blended for the opening ceremony to make the occasion a memorable occasion.

Professor Kwame Adarkwa, Vice-Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Chairman of the KVOC said the Committee has visited all the projects sites connected with the competition, the various stadia, the City hotel in Kumasi and training grounds and said work was progressing positively.

He said the various contractors had assured the Committee of early completion of the various projects for the smooth take off and completion of the games successfully.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu noted that it was gratifying that the CAN 2008 would offer employment opportunities to the people, promote unity and understanding of cultural cooperation among not only Ghanaians but all Africans and the world at large.

He called on the members of the Committee to work hard to put things in good order to ensure not only the success of the event but also promote the image of the country since the nation has already carved a name for itself at the last World Cup and a lot would be expected from the Black Stars.

The Organizing Committee moved from the Manhyia Palace and with the support of the Police swooped on shop owners and arrested and seized imported "T" shirts embossed with CAN 2008 logo which were illegally displayed for sale.