P.V. Obeng chairs Kotoko board

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, on Wednesday inaugurated the Board of Directors of Kumasi Asante Kotoko with a call on members to give the management, headed by Herbert Mensah, the needed policy guidelines to make the club viable, self-sustaining and self-financing.

Mr P.V. Obeng is Chariman of the Board of Directors. Other members are Mr Awua Nyamekye, I.J. Mourkazel, alias Life, Col George Parttington, Malam Mahama Morou alias Coach Mahama, Mr Acheampong Kyei, Herbert Mensah, Kwabena Kesse, Malik Jabir, John Taylor and Arnold Prempeh.

Otumfuo Asantehene charged the board to sit down with management to find ways to make the club viable. He said with the appointment of the board the accusations levelled against Herbert Mensah for running a one-man show should be over. The problem of club financing which was also a burden on one man is also over.

He said in selecting the board he was careful to appoint people who have made achievement in various fields of endeavour. The board, he said, should not exist in name. Otumfuo Asantehene charged the board to examine the various structures the Herbert Mensah administration put in place, find out if the structures are right and encourage them to improve upon them and to remove those that are not in the best interest of the club.

Asantehene also asked them to review the budget presented by the Herbert Mensah Administration which involved a financial outlay of over ?12 billion to find out how they could raise the estimated shortfall in revenue of about ?6 billion. Asantehene also charged the board to immediately see how to raise funds for the Cup competition in the short term.

He said if the club was registered as a limited liability company then the board should find out what can be done to make it attractive to investors within the next three years. Then there would be no need for a constitution, Asantehene said.

He said the board could meet with management quarterly to review its programmes whiles the board should also report to him Asantehene two times in a year. He said he wants to see Kotoko divested from the control Manhyia. Kotoko should not be run from Manhyia, Asantehene said.

Responding to the appointment, Mr P.V. Obeng, on behalf of the board, thanked Otumfuo for the confidence reposed in them. He said in time the commitment to task and the results the board would register should be considered the most appropriate expression of appreciation for the honour done the members.