First Capital Plus Bank (FCP) injects $10,000,000.00 into
Ghana Premier League (GPL)
Tuesday February 4, 2014 will mark as
another historic day for Ghana Football as when First Capital Plus FCP Bank
signed an agreement with the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to become title
sponsor of the Ghana Premier League with an enticing package worth Ten Thousand
US Dollars ($10,000,000.00) for the next five years.
Mr. John Kofi Mensah CEO of FCP Bank
disclosed at a colourful gathering at the forecourts of the head office
(Capital Plaza) of the Bank on the Spintex Road in Accra that shareholders are
sharing their profits with the GFA and secondly they are sacrificing funds that
could have been used to enhance capacity of the Bank to do business.
He announced that the sponsorship
period will span for five (5) financial years from January, 2014 to December,
2019.
“The Total Sponsorship amount is Ten
Million US Dollars (US$ 10,000,000.00)” he emphasised.
According to the CEO of First
Capital Plus Bank, disbursement of Two Million US Dollars (US $2,000,000.00)
Annual Sponsorship amount will be done in the following – 1st Tranche 25% by end of
first quarter of the year, 2nd Tranche 25% by
end of second quarter of the year, 3rd Tranche 50% by end of fourth quarter
of the year and FCP would as a sweetener deliver allied innovative services and
products to the participating football clubs, players and supporters as well as
officials.
He expressed that the focus of the
Bank is to collaborate with the GFA, the Professional League Board (PLB) and
other relevant stakeholders to develop more holistic and innovative strategies
aimed at making the league one of the most attractive on the African continent,
and in global football as a whole.
He encouraged supporters to keep on
patronizing the League and go in greater numbers as there are packages for
supporters who throng the stadia as well as the technical handlers who would be
motivated to perform.
“We are Ghanaians and Football is
our passion, As an indigenous Ghanaian Bank and good corporate citizen, it is
with an immense sense of pride that we sponsor the Ghana Premier League and the
beautiful game of football, a sport that serves as a unifying force, and a
source of national pride, we look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship
between FCP Bank and the Ghana Football Association” he added.
Dr. Daniel Markin, whose company
brokered the deal and was Chairman of the occasion urged the clubs to play
quality football to attract the fans to watch matches at the various stadia in
the country. He appealed to all stakeholders in Ghana Football to play their
roles well, as football can market the nation and bring about peace and unity.
The GFA President, Kwesi Nyantekyi
said it was a historic partnership between the two organisations and the
marriage is for life, but the five years was to test the grounds.
He hinted that it was due to good
leadership and visionary administrators with foresight that Ghana Football is
rated among the best in Africa and it was significant that Ghana did very well
at the CHAN 2014 Tournament by placing second.
Kwesi Nyantekyi who has qualified
Ghana to three FIFA World Cups in 2006, 2010 and 2014 has happy that the deal
came at the right time when the league was facing financial crisis with the
absence of no major sponsor, excerpt Media Sponsor, Super Sport, who
coincidentally were organizing a two day workshop for club chief executives and
marketing officers.
He promised FCP Bank of their
mileage as the sponsorship money can do many things, and assured the gathering
of opening an account at the Bank.
He stated that the contract has a segment
for supporters to benefit as football without the fans is like fufu without
soup, and the recent CHAN 2014 has revealed to him that supporters are very
important and can play a big role in winning crucial matches, citing the semi
final game between Ghana and Nigeria in South Africa 2014.
The GFA President who doubles as the
WAFU President commended the media for advancing the frontiers of development
and welcomed criticism that are constructive.
He said the current GFA is raising
Ghana Football from one level to another level.
The Honourable Minister of Youth and
Sports, Elvis Afriyie –Ankrah who unveiled the new logo for the Ghana Premier
League and First Capital Plus Premier League said he will do whatever he can to
ensure that a few suppporters travel on government ticket to support the Black
Stars at the World Cup in Brazil, as the fans play a major role in the game.
“Imagine Brazil Samba against
Ghanaian Kpanlogo or Azonto” he joked on the jama songs by the supporters
union.
He adviced that there must be a
strategic collective objective to see the GFA and his Ministry working in
harmony and achieving success.
He reteirated that football is the
passion of the nation and hence need special attention since it is also a
unifier.
“Today will mark as a turning point
and we are involving all stakeholders to open accounts with the First Capital
Plus Bank, a fairly new Bank but robbing shoulders with the big Banks and now
into sports” he stressed.
He charged the clubs to be
responsible for better management systems after they had undergone a marketing
seminar organized by Super Sport with English football hero, Stanley Mathews as
a resource person.
Honourable Afriyie –Ankrah urged
corporate Ghana to consider the less popular sporting disciplines, most of whom
like Badminton, Swimming, Weightlifting and Cycling which have proved capable
of winning medals at international sports events like the Commonwealth Games
and come to their aid.
He also cautioned the Sports
Federations in Ghana to position them selves well like the GFA and learn from
the football people whom he congratulated for putting Ghana on the world map of
football.
First Capital Plus Bank is a wholly
owned Ghanaian Bank currently with 15 branches spanning five regions, namely;
Western, Ashanti, Central, Eastern and Greater Accra.
The Bank has chalked a few awards
such as Non-Bank Financial Institution of the Year, 2012 - by the Chartered
Institute of Marketing Ghana, 10th Best Performing Company in 2013
Ghana Club 100 - by the Ghana Investment Promotion Council and adjudged 3rd Fastest
Growing Company in the Ghana Club 100 in 2013.
The Miracle Wave Band led by Jewel
Ackah thrilled guests, patrons and the supporters, with Azigiza Jnr. conducting
affairs as the Master of Ceremonies
