Qatar 2022: Government won’t finance supporters to 2022 FIFA World Cup – Ghana’s Sports Minister reveals
Ussif Mustapha, Ghana's Minister of Youth and Sports, has said that the country will not pay for Ghanaians to cheer for the Black Stars in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Qatar 2022: Government won’t finance supporters to 2022 FIFA World Cup – Ghana’s Sports Minister reveals
Ussif Mustapha, Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports, has said that the country will not pay for Ghanaians to cheer for the Black Stars in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The minister claims that because of the current economic crisis the country is going through, the government won’t be able to help the supporters this time.
But he also said that the Ministry would rely on corporate sponsors to pay for select Ghanaian supporters of the Black Stars to attend the World Cup campaign.
“Due to the current state of affairs in our nation, the government has decided against providing financial help for World Cup fans. As previously stated, interested Ghanaians wishing to attend the World Cup in Qatar may do so by booking through Kenpong Travel & Tour, the official travel company chosen by the Ministry.
The Minister of Youth and Sports continued, “However, the Ministry of Youth and Sports will continue to appeal to corporate Ghana and the private sector, to sponsor and finance select Ghanaian supporters to show symbolic support for the Black Stars.
In a ceremony when GoldFields donated $300,000 to the Black Stars World Cup Campaign, Hon Ussif Mustapha urged all Ghanaians to support the Black Stars as they compete in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“Regardless of the difficulties, wherever we are and wherever we go, let us stand with the Black Stars in this World Cup Campaign, Qatar 2022, and give them our unwavering support to make another admirable history in their World Cup trip.”
Joshua Mortoti, Executive Vice President and Head of Gold Fields West Africa, said during the occasion that his company has been supporting the national team for some years and that they feel their sponsorship helped Ghana qualify for its first World Cup in 2006 as a result.
“Over an eight-year span, we invested a total of US$15 million in the senior national football squad. From 2005 through 2012, respectively. We think that this sponsorship helped the Black Stars qualify for the 2006 World Cup.
“We think that athletics can promote harmony, progress, and development. We built a 10,400-seat stadium at Tarkwa for this reason. The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation is spending $16.2 million to build this top-notch stadium, which is almost finished. When it is formally opened, we are eager to see the Black Stars play there.
He continued, “We wish the Black Stars luck at the world cup and are confident they will make our country proud.”
Kurt E.S. Okraku, the president of the Ghanaian football association, attended the ceremony and took a moment to thank Goldfields Ghana for their support since the Black Stars’ first World Cup appearance in 2006.
“I’m overjoyed that we have the opportunity to rekindle the romance with Goldfields Ghana.
We think the gift will be quite generous and will help both the world cup preparations and the actual participation in it.
He continued, “We think we’ve prepared enough as a country, and our stars will walk out of the locker room with their chests up to defend Ghana’s good name.
The Black Stars recently received GHC 50,000 in cash from GLICO Group and a massive $2 million sponsorship contract from MTN.
