Ghana to benefit from FIFA Goal Programme

The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has accepted to include Ghana in its Goal Programmer" for the years 2002 and 2003.

Mr. Ben Koufie, chairman of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) told the GNA Sports that FIFA has written to them to extend the programmer to Ghana despite their late application and the list of countries queuing for the opportunity.


The GFA chairman said Ghana would ask FIFA to finance the Prampram School of Excellence, a youth programmer, which has been abandoned when it is eventually handed over the GFA by the ministry of Youth and Sports.


FIFA said three playing fields would be constructed in addition to a gym while decent hostel facilities should be provided to enable all the trained in line with the GFA's five-year development programmer, which the Executive Council is currently studying.

The chairman said the five-year development plan is an embodiment of the establishment of structure for Under 15, Under 17 and Under 20 teams at the national, regional and district levels, adding that the Goal Programmer would be a perfect facility of the plan.


The FIFA letter, which was signed by Mr. Michael Zenn Ruffinen, general secretary said the Goal Bureau Committee has accepted to send the programmer to Ghana and the Budget Committee of FIFA would release the package after deliberations with the Finance Committee during Congress, which is slated for South Korea ahead of the World cup.


FIFA Goal Programmer assists developing countries in the establishment of structural, which would help raise the standard of the game in their countries. The inclusion of Ghana brings to 117, countries that have received the Goal Bureau's approval for assistance up to date.