Panafrican Group supports Ghana rugby

In a joint statement issued by the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) and the Panafrican Equipment Group (Panafrican), a kit sponsorship for Ghana Rugby was announced in Accra-Ghana on 14 September 2017.

The announcement was made at the GRFU Secretariat in Osu-Accra and was attended by Mr Tim Callaghan, GH of the Panafrican Equipment Group, and Mr Herbert Mensah, President of Ghana Rugby.

The sponsorship includes an undisclosed cash amount, kit for the Ghana National Rugby Team (the Ghana Eagles) and sports bags, and will be valid for a twelve month period.

According to the agreement the Panafrican logo will be prominently displayed on all national Ghana Rugby jerseys and shorts worn by the Ghana Eagles during participation in international matches.

The new kit that is currently in production will be worn by the Ghana Eagles for the first time in their crucial encounters during the Africa Rugby Men’s Sevens Tournament scheduled for 6 and 7 October 2017 in Kampala, Uganda.

Ghana Rugby became full members of World Rugby on 10 May 2017 in fewer than three years since Mensah took over the reins of Union. This opened the doors to Ghana Rugby to take part in qualifiers for World Rugby, Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and Hong Kong Sevens tournaments.

The first opportunity that came up was the Rugby Afrique men’s sevens tournament that serves as a qualifier for the 2018 World Rugby Men’s Sevens World Cup tournament in 2018 in San Francisco, the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia and the Hong Kong Sevens.

The Ghana Eagles, who are by far the underdogs, will face stiff competition from nine other African Unions including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Botswana, Madagascar and Zambia.

According to Mr Tim Callaghan, General Manager of the Panafrican Equipment Group, the Group in conjunction with Komatsu Ltd is very proud to associate with the Ghana Rugby Football Union.

“Rugby is a team sport that is played globally with many millions of club and international players. We look forward to the Ghana Eagles progressing through the World Rugby rankings and wish them the best of luck for the upcoming tournament in Kampala,” Callaghan said.

Panafrican sells and services the Komatsu range of earthmoving and mining equipment in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania.

Herbert Mensah, President of Ghana Rugby, welcomed the addition of Panafrican as proud sponsor of Ghana Rugby and said that some corporate bodies such as Interplast, Inesfly, the Gino brands, the Golden Tulip Accra, eVerpure and Africa Mining Services have all come forward in the past to support Ghana Rugby.

“The addition of the Panafrican Group to the list of companies who have supported Ghana Rugby is not only welcomed but highly appreciated,” Mensah said.

“The recognition that Rugby is at the core of life in that it brings discipline to our young people is truly appreciated. In a time that not a lot of people support minority sports I am proud to be associated with the Panafrican Group that share in what we want to achieve.

To those on the outside I hope they will understand that minority sports can only survive if we have these kind of associations with people who really care.