Accra, September 12, 2017//-The India High Commission in Ghana has organised a send-off reception for Black Starlets, Ghana’s Under-17 FIFA World Cup participating to be hosted in India on 6th to 28th October, 2017.
The reception which was attended by the officials of the High Commission, the 24-member playing body and technical handlers of the team, India businesses, among others was also used to canvas support for the Black Starlets.
In a short statement, the wife of the India High Commissioner to Ghana, Mrs Richa Rao said India looked forward to an exciting match with Ghana, the two countries are in the same group.
She recounted how Ghana overpowered difficult teams to win the 1991 FIFA Under-17 World Cup. Mrs Rao therefore urged the Ghanaian team to be inspired by the 1991 team victory.
The Deputy Minister for Youth and Sports, Pius Enam Hadzide, who led the Black Starlets delegation to the event thanked the India High Commission for the honour the team and the government.
He said the High Commission’s gesture is timely stressing that “even when we compete, we can still collaborate and be global citizens.”
Mr Hadzide also used the occasion to express gratitude to the Bank of Baroda and Melcom Group for designing various sponsorship packages for the Ghana team and its officials.
Godwin Avenorgbo, Director of Communications at Melcom Group, a leading supermarket company in Ghana, reminded the Black Starlets that football is about goals and not skills.
This means that the team should show class and talent and make Ghana proud by lifting the cup and bringing it home to Ghana, he said.
The Melcom Group is supporting the FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament with three air tickets and hotel accommodation for the three winners of its upcoming promotion to enable loyal customers to travel to India to watch the games.
The Black Starlets coach, Samuel Paa Kwasi Fabin was confident that the team could win the trophy.
The Starlets have an enviable image to protect, having won the competition in 1991 and 1995, coming second 1993 and 1997 and placing third and fourth in 1999 and 2007 respectively.
Ghana emerged second at the recent African championship in Gabon to book a place at the World Cup. It has been drawn in Group with India, USA and Colombia.
Meanwhile the Black Starlets will on Wednesday, 13 September 2017 travel to Abu Dhabi to step up preparations for the competition which gets underway on October 6 in India.
The team was initially scheduled to camp in Denmark but strict visa requirements from the Danish Embassy in Accra meant the 24-man squad had to opt for UAE.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
