We’ll account for world Cup money — Ankrah

Youth and Sports Minister Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah has pledged to account for every “penny and pesewa” of the Black Stars’ expenditure for the FIFA World Cup.

“We would account for every penny and if there is some left we would bring it back into state coffers,” he vowed.

The minister gave the assurance at his office in Accra last Tuesday when SIC Insurance and its affiliate, SICLife Company, presented two cheques totalling GH¢250,000 to support the Black Stars in their preparations for the World Cup in Brazil in June.

SIC Insurance presented GH¢150,000 while SICLife presented GH¢100,000 at a brief ceremony attended by the Managing Directors (MD) of the two insurance outfits.

Mrs Doris Awo Nkani, MD of SIC Insurance, recalled that the company had been allies of football, since the 1970s, by partnering the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) through the sponsorship of SWAG Cup matches.

“We believe football is a major unifier that brings together all and sundry and we would continue assisting the discipline as we have always done,” she noted.

 Aaron Issa Anafure, MD of SICLife, said the donation was to ensure the growth of the sport in the country as the only force which bound Ghanaians together as one people.

Mr Afriyie-Ankrah promised to ensure judicious use of the money and noted that viewing centres would be constructed nationwide to afford Ghanaians a feel of what would pertain in Brazil during the World Cup.

He noted that donors to the Stars’ cause such as SIC would have a slot at these viewing centres, where they could launch their billboards to advertise and showcase their products.

He expressed gratitude to the two and called on other corporate entities to support the Stars’ cause.