National teams will observe all the protocols – GFA assures government

Communications Director of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Henry Asante Twum has welcomed the government's decision to ease restrictions for national youth teams to start training camps for their respective qualifiers.

Football has been banned since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday gave go-ahead to the Black Starlets, Black Princesses and Black Maidens to start preparing with their World Cup qualifiers set for later this year.

The President said, “Our female Under-20 and Under-17 national football teams have been given the clearance to go into their respective training camps to begin preparations towards their FIFA and CAF-sanctioned international matches, which begin in September.”

However, he emphasised the need for the teams to observe all COVID-19 protocols while preparing.

“Whilst in training, the playing, technical and management teams must observe strictly all the protocols issued by Government, CAF and FIFA against COVID-19."

Reacting to the news to news, Henry Asante Twum expressed gratitude to the government over its decision and assured that the teams will observe the protocols.

“We are grateful to our sector minister, the Covid-19 advisory team and the President for agreeing to relax the restrictions and allow our ladies and Black Starlets to resume camping. It’s for the good of the nation. We will observe all the protocols”, he said.

The Black Princesses will face Guinea-Bissau in September in first round of the 2021 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualification.

Black Maidens will be in action in October when qualification for 2021 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup resume.