Run Kotoko With Your Own Funds And Not Otumfuo�s � Herbert Mensah

Former Chief Executive Officer of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Herbert Kwadwo Amponsah Mensah says the newly appointed Executive Chairman of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Dr. Kwame Kyei Baffour should be prepared to raise his own funds to run the club.

Dr. Kwame Kyei Baffour, a business mogul was over the weekend given a three year mandate to steer the affairs of Kotoko after the Lawyer Paul Adu Gyamfi led Board and Opoku Nti led management were dissolved by the life patron and owner of the club, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II .

His appointment has been hailed by the Kotoko fraternity as another opportunity to begin afresh but the former Kotoko leader has cautioned him to be ready for what is at stake in terms of the financial demands of the club.

Speaking to Kasapa Sports on Monday he described the Kotoko seat as one of the hot burning flames in football administration in the country and any occupant should be ready emotionally, physically and financially for it.

“I have long since thought that people who run Kotoko must have a business plan that shows how the club will be funded over the period of time, encourage an expansion and help grow the club. Therefore the newly appointed Executive Chairman Dr. Kwame Kyei Baffour must have the financial wherewithal to run the club and not to rely on Otumfuo for funding and I hope that there is a workable plan that will take Kotoko to the highest level”.

He also touched on the cause of the failure of the Opoku Nti led management.

“Opoku Nti’s administration failed because they did not have the financial power to run Kotoko therefore they lost the confidence of the fans”.

Manhyia Palace on Sunday announced that His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene had appointed Dr. Kwame Kyei, Group Chief Executive Officer of Unity Group of Companies to constitute a new administration for Asante Kotoko Sporting Club. Dr. Kyei has been given a three-year mandate to steer the affairs of the club and to raise it to new heights.

He will head an Executive Board members of which will be appointed by His Majesty on the advice of Dr. Kyei. Dr. Kyei has been mandated to reshape the administrative structure of the club to infuse professionalism and competence at all levels of its operations.

The ultimate objective of the mandate is to consolidate the position of the club at the top of the domestic league and advance further to take its rightful place among the elite clubs of Continental African Soccer.

Dr. Kwame Kyei, 55, hails from the royal house of Agona Wiamoase. He is one of the country’s outstanding entrepreneurs with a strong position in the downstream sector of petroleum and gas industry.