Ghana Post Launches commemorative stamps for Black Stars

Accra, May 18, GNA - Ghana Post Company Limited has launched commemorative stamps and a quiz competition for the senior national team, the Black Stars as part of its support towards the first ever participation of the team at the 2006 World Cup scheduled for Germany.

The stamps, which are in cedi denominations ranging from 2,000 cedis to 6,000 cedis has individual and group pictures of members of the team, notable among them are skipper Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, John Mensah and Sammy Osei Kuffour among others.

According to Mr Duah Adonteng, General Manager of the company, the pictures depicts a confident squad full of venom and ready to do battle.

Speaking at the launching ceremony in Accra on Thursday, Mr Adonteng said the postal stamps are in response to the request of Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) to Universal Postal Union (UPU) for all countries to participate in the World Cup by issuing commemorative stamps.

Mr Adonteng said the request by FIFA was a fine opportunity for the company to celebrate the nation=92s historic qualification to the World Cup and to raise funds for the national team.

According to Mr Adonteng, Ghana Post has agreed to pay a handsome percentage of the proceeds that would be generated from the sale of the stamps to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to support the team financially.

He said that the quiz competition is to test the knowledge of sports fans on the historic achievements of the Black Stars.

Mr Adonteng added that the quiz is also aimed at mobilizing the conscience and commitment of all Ghanaians to rally behind the team.

He said the quiz competition comes with simple questions and participants are to enter by answering questions displayed on posters and national dailies and posting the commemorative stamps of the Stars.

The General Manager stated that a raffle draw will be conducted by the Department of National Lotteries after the collection of entries for the eventual winners to receive attractive prizes.

He therefore urged all Ghanaians to patronize the competition as well as the sale of the stamps in order to raise funds for the team.

Mr Peter Linder, German Ambassador to Ghana said the commemorative stamps are another important contribution to celebrate the great success that the Black Stars have achieved in qualifying for the tournament in Germany.

"It is a great tradition in all countries over the world to honour this great event with a set of commemorative stamps".

He said he was glad for being invited by Ghana Post in the early planning stages of the stamps to assist with some photographs, adding that both countries have a strong link following the presence of Gerald Asamoah and David Odonkor who have a very strong Ghanaian background and have a strong link in the German national team.

Mr Linder said German philanthropists have been waiting impatiently for this day since they have over a period approached him for a set of Ghana=92s Commemorative Stamps.

Mr Linder said some secret sources are at the moment scouting German postal services and pledged to forward it to Ghana as a German contribution to the philanthropists collections of the Ghana Post.