Ghana, Others to sign memo for WC joint bidding

LAGOS, Feb. 17 -- The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)for the joint bidding for the 2010 World Cup soccer finals would be signed in the capital Abuja next week, the News Agency of Nigeria reported Monday.
　　The communique said that the deal would be sealed on Feb. 25-26 after a joint meeting of Nigeria 2010 World Cup bid attended by delegations from Nigeria, Ghana and the Benin Republic in Abuja.
　　The next week's MOU will also witness the formation of a single Main Organizing Committee for the proposed bidding with members drawn from each of the five West African countries gunning for the hosting rights.
　　It was reported that each of the countries had agreed to go home and tidy up their own ends and come up with definite positions that would be harmonized during the Abuja meeting.
　　According to the communique, each country had been mandated to set up an effective secretariat to facilitate the bidding process.
　　Meanwhile, a delegation of the joint meeting would visit Cameroon and Togo, the two countries that did not attend the Feb. 15 meeting, to brief them on the situation and to ensure that theyshow up in Abuja next week.
　　However, feelers indicated that Togo had already contacted Nigeria, saying that the dates were not convenient for its delegation and that there was a likelihood that the country would not be represented at the meeting if it were held at the fixed dates.
　　The communique which singed by the Ministers of Sports of Ghana,Edward Kwaku, that of Benin Republic, Houde Valentine, and that ofNigeria, Steven Akiga.
　　It said that the three countries had agreed in principle to back the 2010 World Cup bid project, which, it said, had never been held in Africa.
　　Togo, which was absent from the meeting, sent a solidarity message in support of the project through Beninoise Sports Minister, while the Cameroonian delegation could not come to Abujabecause of flight problems, contrary to reports that the country is not in support of the project.

LAGOS, Feb. 17 -- The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)for the joint bidding for the 2010 World Cup soccer finals would be signed in the capital Abuja next week, the News Agency of Nigeria reported Monday.
　　The communique said that the deal would be sealed on Feb. 25-26 after a joint meeting of Nigeria 2010 World Cup bid attended by delegations from Nigeria, Ghana and the Benin Republic in Abuja.
　　The next week's MOU will also witness the formation of a single Main Organizing Committee for the proposed bidding with members drawn from each of the five West African countries gunning for the hosting rights.
　　It was reported that each of the countries had agreed to go home and tidy up their own ends and come up with definite positions that would be harmonized during the Abuja meeting.
　　According to the communique, each country had been mandated to set up an effective secretariat to facilitate the bidding process.
　　Meanwhile, a delegation of the joint meeting would visit Cameroon and Togo, the two countries that did not attend the Feb. 15 meeting, to brief them on the situation and to ensure that theyshow up in Abuja next week.
　　However, feelers indicated that Togo had already contacted Nigeria, saying that the dates were not convenient for its delegation and that there was a likelihood that the country would not be represented at the meeting if it were held at the fixed dates.
　　The communique which singed by the Ministers of Sports of Ghana,Edward Kwaku, that of Benin Republic, Houde Valentine, and that ofNigeria, Steven Akiga.
　　It said that the three countries had agreed in principle to back the 2010 World Cup bid project, which, it said, had never been held in Africa.
　　Togo, which was absent from the meeting, sent a solidarity message in support of the project through Beninoise Sports Minister, while the Cameroonian delegation could not come to Abujabecause of flight problems, contrary to reports that the country is not in support of the project.