Soccer-Ben Koufie becomes 21st GFA chairman
Burkinabe Sports Minister arrives in Ghana
Soccer-Star Premier League leading scorers
Locals to dominate Black Stars - Deputy
Minister
We
need to make female boxing safe before licensing it-Joe Aggrey
Soccer-Ben Koufie becomes 21st
GFA chairman
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
Ben Koufie, a retired footballer and coach on Wednesday became the 21st chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), after Abedi Ayew Pele, one of the two government nominee stepped down in a close-door elections held at the GFA secretariat.
The elections was opened to only the 36 electorate from the Ghana League Clubs Association, the GFA management board, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Juvenile association, the Security services, the regional sports representatives, the National Sports Council and a representative from the University/colleges.
The media were not allowed to witness the elections but were later briefed by A.Y. Ibrahim, Executive Council Chairman.
The election originally scheduled for 10 in the morning had to be rescheduled for the afternoon due to a heavy downpour, which delayed voters from arriving on time.
Mr Sylvester Mensah became the sixth member of the Management Board after beating his opponent Allosious Dankaba by 26 votes to one.
The GFA management board now comprises of Ben Koufie, Chairman, Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, Vice Chairman, Yaw La-Danso, member, Worlanyo Agra, General secretary, Abedi Pele, member and Sylvester Mensah, member.
Abedi said in a post-elections interview that he stepped down because he wanted to understudy and tap the rich experience of the 69 year-old Koufie.
The Management board would be sworn into office within three weeks together with other 17 sub-committees.
Mr Koufie said a training programme would be put in place to prepare the Black Stars adequately to win the Mali 2002 Africa nations cup.
He said the new GFA would develop football at the grassroots through to the senior level, adding that a development programme embracing all competitions would put in place to feature only players between the ages of 17 to 24 years.
Mr Koufie touched on various other plans including sponsorship and marketing departments, which he said could be handled better by Pele.
"I equally have my connections but Pele is a gem which has been internationally recognised in recent times."
He promised the media of either a weekly or bi-weekly meet-the press series to showcase transparency.
Born on June 5, 1932, Ben Koufie was a member of the Black Stars between 1957 to 1958 and later coached the team from 1964 to the early 70s.
He also led Kumasi Asante Kotoko to win the Africa Club Championship in Zaire in 1971 and later became the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the GFA between 1979-1980.
He is currently a CAF technical instructor and a member of the FIFA technical study group.
Meanwhile, President John Agyekum Kufuor has appointed Pele as Ghana's soccer ambassador extraordinary.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
Mr Ben Koufie, Confederation of African Football (CAF) Technical Instructor, was elected the 21st chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Wednesday.
The celebrated footballer, who played for the Black Stars, the national team, have lived all his life for soccer that had taken him to the length and breath of Africa, coaching and holding courses on behalf of CAF.
Mr Koufie was born on June 5, 1932 and started playing football during his school days.
After schooling, he played for local clubs including Cape Coast Dwarfs, until he was called to play for the Black Stars in 1957.
Mr Koufie attended a coaching course in the former Czechoslovakia from March to June 1961 and the former West Germany later in the same year.
He obtained a First Class Diploma in coaching from the former East Germany in 1964, where he won the gold medal as the best student.
Mr Koufie obtained an English Football Association Coaching Certificate in 1970 and was attached to Chelsea Football Club under Dave Sexton.
Locally he was appointed a Regional Coach in 1961 and subsequently the
Deputy National Coach in December 1964 and was on the technical bench when the
Stars won the 1965 African Nations' Cup in Tunis.
He was also part of the team that came second in the 1968 tournament in Addis Ababa and was the Senior Coach for the 1970 edition in Sudan, where Ghana again won the silver.
On the local scene Mr Koufie partnered Mr Aggrey-Fynn as a coach to win the African Club Championship with Kumasi Asante Kotoko and took Accra Great Olympics to the semi finals of the same competition in 1972.
Mr Koufie coached African Sports of Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, for three years before returning to the country to handle Akosombo Akotex, then a first division side of Akosombo Textiles Limited from 1979-1980.
He was made chairman of the technical committee of the GFA from 1979 to 1980 and went to Zimbabwe as the Technical Advisor to that country's FA between 1981 and 82.
Mr Koufie returned to Ghana to take the reins of Accra Hearts of Oak and succeeded in winning the 1992-93 FA cup.
In 1984 he was appointed a CAF Soccer Instructor. His exploits landed him outside the country again when he took over as coach and manager of Shell Gabon's Shell Sport in January 1985 to June 1988.
He went back to Zimbabwe where he assumed the role of Director of Coaching in October 1988 until January 1992 and under his leadership Zimbabwe's under-23 national team qualified for the All African Games held in Egypt in 1991, the only continental tournament that country had participated in at the national level.
Again, during his stay in Zimbabwe, he produced 957 qualified coaches through courses in Preliminary, Intermediate and Advance levels.
In February 1992, he left Zimbabwe for Botswana to become their FA Technical Director and remained in that position until January 2001.
Mr Koufie has conducted high level coaching courses on behalf of CAF in many African countries including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Swaziland, Namibia, Lesotho, Kenya and Uganda and served as a member of the CAF Technical Study Group during the Under-20 African Youth championship hosted by Ghana in 1999.
He was appointed a FIFA Instructor in January 2000 and served on the FIFA Technical Study Group for the just ended FIFA Confederations Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea from May 30 to June 10.
Mr Koufie was awarded a silver medal by CAF for his meritorious service to the development of football on the continent at their general assembly in Accra in January 2000.
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Burkinabe Sports Minister arrives in Ghana
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
The Burkinabe Sports Minister, Rene Emile Kabore is in the country to hand over the proceeds of the charity football match between Accra Hearts of Oak and the Stallions to the government of Ghana.
The match was part of their contribution to the Stadium Disaster Fund set up by the Ghana government after the May 9 disaster at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Speaking to the GNA, Mr Kabore said he is in the country to show solidarity with the people of Ghana on the sad event that took place and also to present the money.
He, however, did not disclose the amount.
He said his country had the opportunity to watch and enjoy the charity match and hoped that this would further strengthen the relations between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
He was met on arrival by Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister in Charge of Media Relations, Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Sports and Mr Marc Yao, Burkinabe Ambassador to Ghana.
Vice-President Aliu Mahama last week led a delegation of players of the Accra Hearts of Oak to play the Stallions of Burkina Faso. Hearts lost by 4-1.
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Soccer-Star Premier League leading scorers
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
Below is the goalking chart of the 2001 Star Premier League after the sixth week matches played on Sunday June 24.
6 - Awudu Adama (Dawu)
4 - Issah Mohamnmed (Hassacas)
3 - Ishmael Addo (Hearts) Nana Frimpong (Kotoko) Joseph Adjei (RTU) Asamoah
Dzifa (Maxbees) J.B. Danquah (Olympics)
Baba Sulley (Dawu)
2 - Anthony Mintah, William Agyapong (Bofoakwa) Adu Kwaku (Kaebibirem)
Chibsah Yusif, Frank Osei, Joe Agyeman (King Faisal) Kwaku Asare, Awudu
Alhassan (Adansiman) Lawrence Adjei (Kotoko) Kofi Debrah (Liberty) Shila
Alhassan (Kotoko) Isaac Boakye, Princeston Owusu-Ansah (Goldfields), Issa
Shaibu (Maxbees)
1 - Eric Gawu, Tijani Mohammed, Ben Boakye (King Faisal) Godwin Ablordey
(Kotoko) Victor Antwi, Martin Appau, Salifu Shaabu (Kwaebibirem) Nana
Adarkwa, Samuel Kyere, Ibrahim Yahaya, Joseph Boakye, Seth Antwi, Razak
Moro (Arsenals) Limbambani Yedibahoma, Akakpo Patron, Albert Neequaye
(Liberty) Ben Kwame, Richard Anderson (Ghapoha) David Amoaku, Samuel
Aryetey, Dennis Odoom (Olympics) Kofi Apetor, Ernest Boateng, Richard
Mireku, Kwesi Kyeremanteng (Okwawu) Haruna Gariba, Hope Leveh
(Adansiman), Nicholas Addo, Eric Mbroh (Dawu), Nana Arhin-Duah (Goldfields),
Kwarteng Kingsley (Hasaacas) Richard Oppong (Bofoakwa) Charles Taylor
(Hearts) Dzagbo Kumi, Ibrahim Kuvi (RTU) Kingsley Kwarteng, Frank Turkson
(Hasaacas) John Kudjoe (Bofoakwa)
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Locals to dominate Black Stars - Deputy
Minister
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, on Wednesday said that henceforth, local players would dominate the Senior National Team.
"The policy on Premier and Division one Leagues would be reviewed and made more rewarding and lucrative to be able to retain our football stars who would serve as the core of the Black Stars."
Mr Aggrey who was answering Parliamentary questions said: "Ghana has young and skilful players who when given the necessary technical direction and training would in future be among the best in the World."
He said a coach to be engaged for the National Team would be required to tour all league centres and make his own selection for the predominately local squad to be put together for a considerable length of time to enhance coordination and understanding.
"It must be stated that as much as possible we shall not rely heavily on foreign based players, most of whom are unable to train with the team before playing crucial matches."
He said management and technical personnel of the National Teams would be given the free hand to handle all disciplinary issues concerning the team to ensure that players remain dedicated to national goals and aspirations.
The Deputy Minister said his ministry's policy direction of football is now youth oriented and that youth programmes would be vigorously pursued.
"It is our intention to place more emphasis on the selection process of the youth process of the youth teams. No short cuts would be tolerated.
Participation in youth teams should be the means to an end and not the other way
round as has been the case in the past."
Mr Aggrey said the National Sports College would be upgraded and made the hub for all the camping needs of national football teams.
On the monitoring of players, he said Ghana Football Association (GFA) technical directorate would be revamped to monitor the performance of players of the National Teams for the form guide.
"Website for all our National Teams would be developed at the Directorate to promote our performance internationally and provide a cheaper and easier but reliable way of contacting our foreign based players".
The Deputy Minister said a "think tank" made up of renowned technical brains in Football would be formed to offer technical advice and other forms of assistance to the coaches of the national teams.
He said the marketing Department of the National Sports Council would be strengthened to make it more purposeful in their quest to solicit funds for our teams.
"Once the national teams are well catered for, through other sources, government could augment the winning bonus and other incentive packages."
Mr Aggrey announced that his ministry intends to institute adequate individual and group insurance cover in respect of injuries incurred during assignments of the national teams.
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We need to make female boxing safe before
licensing it-Joe Aggrey
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
Female boxers would not be licensed until sufficient education and preparation have been done to ensure their safety in the ring, Mr Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Sports said on Tuesday.
"We are cautious about licensing female boxers because we want to avoid any tragedy".
Mr Kwakye Addo, NDC-Afram Plains South, had asked about the steps being taken by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to license female boxers.
Mr Aggrey said improved and properly designed chest protectors and medical examinations and the drawing up of special rules and regulations should be in place before female boxing could be taken any further.
"Under the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) professional rules (2.28), contestants are not expected to wear head gears, vest, and even breast protectors. It is extremely difficult to imagine how female boxers can successfully practise the sport as professionals in Ghana where people abhor the exposure of certain parts of the body of our women in public."
He said as provided by the regulations, one must have passed through amateur ranks to learn the very rudiments of the sports and gain sufficient experience for one's personal protection in the ring.
"Low blows and their effects on the menstrual cycle as well as the effects of hefty punches on the breasts of female boxers needed to be scientifically analysed and addressed".
Mr. Aggrey said the GBA is making the necessary contacts and efforts to step up female boxing.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 28 June 2001
Ghanaian-born German international, Gerald Asamoah, on Tuesday married Linda Osei Tutu, 21, at a low-keyed wedding ceremony at the Register General's Department in Accra.
Only a hand full of family members and a tiny number of close associates of the couple witnessed the wedding.
The two, who hail from Mampong in the Ashanti region, have been courting for the past five years but have known each other since they were kids.
Linda is a product of the Saint Johns Grammar School and is to undertake a course in Pharmacy in Hanova, Germany, while Asamoah had a stint with John Teye Memorial School before he left for Germany at nine.
Asamoah, 22, opted to play for the German national team following a turndown from Ghanaian officials on his maiden invitation to feature for the Black Stars.
He has once featured for the German national team in a friendly in which he scored a goal.
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