Accra, July 8, GNA - Airtel Ghana Limited, a telecommunication outfit has launched a football talent search that will focus on identifying and nurturing budding talents from the grassroots level up to the national stage.

The project dubbed 93Airtel Rising Stars, Where Stars are born", in partnership with the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Ghana Education Services (GES) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MYS) will provide a platform for upcoming soccer talents under the ages of 17 to showcase their skills to leading scouts and coaches to enable them to further their skills in the game.

Mr Mrinal Roy, Chief Operating Officer of Airtel Ghana Limited at the launch of the project in Accra on Friday, said his outfit has shown interest in sports development in the country, because they are of the conviction that, it is a significant tool for developing sports at the grassroots level and for improving the overall health standards of the people and nation building.

The project will be organized on regional basis after which the champions will compete at the national level, whilst six players, made up of four males and two females will be selected to participate in a Soccer Clinic to be held in South Africa.

He said football in Africa elicits passion, fun and unity and the company wants to be an integral part of the development of the communities through an association with football.

Mr Roy said the project also falls in line with the commitment of the company to community development and education hence an award of 50 dollars will be set aside for each goal scored in the competition. Kwesi Nyantakyi, President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) said the football controlling body will henceforth select all members of the National Under-17 team, the Black Starlets from juvenile competitions such as from the 91Airtel Rising Stars' project. He said this will ensure that players selected for the national juvenile teams are of the right ages and are of school going ages. Mr Nyantakyi said the GFA is keen on promoting development of football and education at the grassroots level, hence all national Juvenile players will be selected from educational institutions insisting, 93no education, no national team".

He said 93football is not for school dropouts. It is better to manage an educated player than an uneducated player".