Corporate Ghana Must Help To Airlift Fans To Cheer Black Stars � Osafo Maafo

Former Minister of Sports and Education, Yaw Osafo Maafo has opined that for the Black Stars to do well in Brazil, the team needs the support of every Ghanaian. The Black Stars will be making a third successive appearance at the World Cup. Osafo Maafo, who was Sports Minister in 2006 when Ghana qualified for her maiden appearance, told journalists that the Germany world cup was a huge success in the history of Ghana since it was the first ever for the country. According to him, lots of companies came on board and supported the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and government in financing the team. He cited that the GFA then had a total budget of $2.8 million but a single company supported the country�s maiden campaign with $3 million. According to him, it was easy to ask for sponsorship since every company wanted to be part of the Black Stars and that historic feat. �We were very lucky to have such huge support from corporate Ghana,� Mr Osafo Maafo said. �It was a huge thing for this country and I think Ghana could get such support with same approach. When you come to the Ministry of Finance there are competing demands for budgetary allocations of resources. Children are in Korle Bu without beds, pregnant women are lying on bare floor. It should be handled through the budget and all monies cannot be channeled into sports only�. A former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Osafo Maafo believes sponsoring supporters to Brazil to cheer on the Black Stars should not only be done by government but rather corporate bodies.