President calls on the for private sector to invest in sports

infrastructure

Accra, Jan. 22, GNA - The President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor has extended an urgent invitation to the private sector to invest in sports infrastructural development to bring the country's facilities to an appreciable standard to warrant the hosting of big tournaments. He promised prospective investors good returns on their investment and a "feel-good factor among the population".

President Kufuor was delivering the State of the Nation address in Accra on Thursday where he announced that the Accra and Kumasi Sports Stadiums will be rehabilitated while land have been already been acquired at Sekondi-Takoradi and Tamale for the construction of modern stadia in anticipation of Ghana hosting the 2008 Africa Nations Cup. Ghana and South Africa are bidding to host the bi-annual soccer fiesta in 2008.

The President commended Ghana's contingents to last year's All Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria, where the country won a total of 23 medals including four gold medals, the best since 1973, and the women's national soccer team, the Black Queens, for their thrilling performance in the last Women's World Cup in the USA.

He, however, bemoaned the absence of the senior national soccer team, the Black Stars' from this year's Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to kick-start in Tunis, Tunisia, on Saturday.

Ghana failed to qualify from a group, which comprised such minnows as Rwanda and Uganda.

President Kufuor called on Ghanaians to wish the Olympic soccer team, the Black Meteors, the best of luck towards their qualification for the Athens Olympic games.

To reverse the country's abysmal sporting performance, the president urged the appropriate authorities to vigorously pursue schools sports programme to ensure a brighter future.