Accra, May 11, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday announced a 500-million cedi seed money to set up of a Welfare Fund to assist retired and aging sports men and women to live in comfort and dignity.

They would in addition be given easy and free access to major state functions and sporting events.

President Kufuor said this at the inauguration of the Retired National Footballers Association (RENFAG) in Accra. He said it was important that the nation showed appreciation for the contribution and services that the gallant sports heroes rendered to the country.

The President said it was on the basis of their contributions that some of them were being appointed to serve on various Boards and Associations under the National Sports Council (NSC) and included in the National Honors list.

He said there was also an on-going programme for the establishment of a Hall of Fame to honour the sports men and women.

President Kufuor recalled the "Golden Age of Ghana Football", which spanned the 1960s and 1970s that the achievement was characterized by discipline, hard training, dedication and patriotism.

He added that during that era, there was very little monetary reward for footballers but their motivation for playing was mainly the love for the game and the national honours that came their way. The President said it was no wonder that the teeming sporting community still hanker for "this Golden Age of Ghana Football" and are desirous of repeat show of class by the up and coming footballs in the country.

He said to ensure the success of the programme, the Government was determined to rekindle in the youth, the ideals of discipline, training, dedication, commitment and patriotism.

"The idea of service to the nation should form the centre-piece of our national orientation and must be ingrained in our national psyche- to apply ourselves wholeheartedly to whatever tasks we are called upon to perform, even if the returns in monetary terms are not immediate or may seem relatively low."

President Kufuor noted that football was now big business and every encouragement should therefore be given to the young generation of the country's footballers to enable them to succeed and become effective role models for the youth.

Nana Gyau Gyan III, Chairman of the Association, said if the members were well organised and focused, the country could recapture its past soccer pedigree.

He said the general perception and assessment of the country's football after 100 years of it introduction tended to be negative but what was needed now was for a modest contribution to be made to the debate to search for answers to problems plaguing the nation's soccer. In a welcoming address, Prince Ernest Oduro-Mensah, Chief Executive Officer of the National Sports Council 9NSC) said with the inauguration of the Association, there was now a conduit through which Government's packages for footballers would be channeled.

The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu was among those present at the function that was chaired by Papa Owusu Ankomah, Minister of Education, Science and Sports.