CAN 2008 to go international on preparations

Kumasi, Aug 20, GNA - The Chief Operating Officer of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the MTN/CAN 2008 tournament, Mr Magnus Rex Danquah has said that over 40 countries across Africa would as from September this year watch via the satellite preparations being made by Ghana towards hosting the tournament.

He said that the programme which has been code-named "MTN Road Map to CAN 2008", would among others, showcase the extent of work on the four stadia, training pitches, accommodation facilities, tourist attraction sites in the country as well as the traditions and culture of the Ghanaian citizenry.

Mr Danquah who said this at the Kumasi Venue Organising Committee's (KVOC) local launch of the MTN/CAN 2008 tournament in Kumasi at the weekend, noted that the programme which is the brainchild of the LOC with support from MTN, telecommunications service providers, forms part of measures to attract the various TV stations in the country and across the continent.

He described next year's tournament be the best Cup of Nations ever to be hosted by Ghana after it hosted it in 1963, 1978 and co-hosted in 2000, citing the development of many state-of-art facilities, numerous publicity and adequate preparations being made by the LOC ahead of time. The Chief Operating Officer said officials of the 15 countries that qualify for the tournament would join the host in Accra in October this year to ballot to determine the various groups on which the teams would be paired.

Mr Danquah appealed to operators of restaurants and hotels in the country to seek license from the office of the LOC to enable them to telecast live matches during the tournament.

"Who so ever wishes to telecast matches of the MTN/CAN 2008 tournament live for commercial purposes would have to seek our permission or face the consequences", he noted.

Mr Danquah also cautioned traders against the illegal merchandising of products, especially those with symbols, logos and images of the LOC without consent of the LOC.

He said to ensure adequate accommodation for foreign spectators and supporters of the participating teams, the LOC was conferring with hostel managers in the country to release their facilities to augment the limited hotels in the country.

Mr Danquah, who was accompanied by other members of the LOC, later out-doored the Cup of Nations trophy and presented it to Nana Adusei Poku, Akyempimhene of Kumasi, who chaired the local launch. He said the out-dooring of the Cup would also be replicated in the other hosting venues of Accra, Sekondi and Tamale to whip up the interest of the people towards the success of the tournament. The Akyempimhene congratulated the LOC for their successful bid to host the tournament and prayed that Ghana's Black Stars would take advantage of their home support to annex their fifth trophy after their triumph in 1963, 1965, 1978 and 1982.

Mr George Andah, Chief Marketing Manager of MTN said the company had invested about 150,000 dollars in the country including the CAN 2008 tournament and said they were prepared to partner other stakeholders to ensure a successful tournament. 20 Aug. 07