Sanford World Clinic, a health care organization has signed a four-year agreement worth GH¢1.1million with the Ghana Football Association to sponsor the Women’s FA Cup competition.
The Women’s FA Cup competition which was recently introduced into the Ghanaian football calendar is currently in the round of 16 stage and teams will receive some relieve after the announcement of this deal.
At a press conference held on Tuesday to announce the deal, Dr. Kojo Benjamin Taylor, President for Sanford World Clinic,revealed that their decision to partner the GFA and to support women’s football in particular means more to them than just being a fulfillment of their social responsibility.
According to him, 70 percent of the patients and visitors to their health facility are women so they deem it as an obligation to help develop women football and invest in the lives of girls who are playing football.
“I have seen a women’s football match and its quite motivating. The first time I saw them play I was amazed at the display of talent shown by the young girls. I must admit I didn’t expect that”, Mr. Taylor said at the press conference held at the GFA Secretariat in Accra.
GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi who signed the agreement on behalf of the Association, thanked Sanford World Clinic for expressing interest to help the GFA develop the talents of the young girls.
He described the sponsorship agreement as a historic one since it’s the first time a women’s football competition is getting sponsorship in Ghana.
“Its my hope that this will go a long way to ameliorate the burden on those who manage women football clubs so that they can continue to develop women football in the country”
“Ghana has a huge potential in women’s football. The Black Queens were the first to qualify to the world cup seven years before the men achieved the same feat.
The Black Maidens were the first African female U-17 team to win bronze at the World Cup so if we pay more attention to it they will continue to bring honour to our country", the GFA Boss added.
A cheque worth GH¢200,000 was handed to the GFA, being the first tranche of the sponsorship package with another two tranches to be paid within the next four years.