Accra, Dec. 11, GNA - Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Glo Mobile Ghana Limited, sponsors of Ghana Premier League and Ghana Black Stars, have pledged to collaborate to enrich the quality of football in Ghana.

Senior officials of the GFA and the African telecoms giant said they are confident that 2012 will usher in far more exciting opportunities for their partnership in the development of football and many more achievements for both sides, pledging to support one another for the mutual benefit.

GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi made this known when he led a delegation of the Football Association’s (FA) Executive Committee to pay a courtesy call to the offices of Glo Mobile Ghana in Accra at the weekend.

“As sponsors of the national premier league and our national teams during the past three years, and also as a major stakeholder in the development of football in Ghana, custom demands that as this eventful year draws to a close, we come over to show our appreciation and gratitude for the support we have received from you,” Kwesi Nyantakyi told Michael Foley, Programme Director of Glo Ghana during the short meeting.

“We at the FA know that our working relations will be enhanced when Glo eventually launches its network and begins to do business here. Indeed, like many Ghanaians, the FA is anxiously waiting for the Glo network. But short of that, the point must always be made that Glo deserves great commendation for so capably investing heavily in our sport for three years while the company is not earning any money in our market.”

Mr Nyantakyi and GFA Vice President, Mr. Festus Anagblah recounted FA’s preparations for its operations in 2012, particularly Ghana’s training for CAN 2012 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and the prospects of Ghana winning the continental tournament.

“Glo’s support for the Black Stars in the CAN 2012 campaign is even more significant now considering the fact that Nigeria could not qualify. Glo and indeed every Nigerian should throw their weight behind Ghana to win its fifth cup,” Mr. Anagblah said.

Mr Michael Foley commended the FA and the Premier League Board for the understanding, patience and professionalism demonstrated in the handling of all sponsorship issues during the past years and assured the FA of Glo’s continued support.

Mr Foley told the delegation that Glo is set for the launch of its network after which the company will have to deal with the fact of being the last entrant on a market in which 20 million out of a total population of 25 million people are already connected to networks operated by one or more of the five existing telecom companies.

“It will be tough and very exciting, and the winning factor is that our network will usher in a totally different and rewarding experience for all our subscribers; and of course the good thing about us and the GFA is that once we begin business and we are selling something, our relations, and our dealings with you (the GFA) are set to look even better,” he said.

In reference to the Glo-CAF awards which, will be hosted in Ghana for an unprecedented third time, Yemi Halim, Acting Head of Glo Ghana’s marketing-communications Department, said the GFA and all Ghanaians should be proud that as many as three of Ghanaian footballers have been shortlisted for the African Player of the Year Award and said that Nigerian support for the Black Stars at the CAN 2012 is a matter of course.

She urged the FA to sustain Glo’s sponsorship initiative and give full meaning to the company’s interventions in football by helping the company “to translate Ghana’s massive football fan base and the incredible passion Ghanaians have for soccer into mutually beneficial business. Naturally, the more our business thrives, the more we can justifiably spend on our sponsored assets,” she said.