Sport Ministry congratulates Essien

Accra, Jan 6, GNA - The Ministry of Education, Science and Sports has congratulated Ghana and Chelsea midfielder, Michael Essien for winning the BBC African Best Footballer for the 2006.

A message signed for the Minister by Dr. Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah from the Ministry said the award is not only to the player but to Ghana also as a sporting nation and a boost to the country's rising image in the world of football.

The message advised the Ghanaian international not to rest on his oars but to aim for the ultimate 96 the FIFA World Player of the year award.

Michael Essien on Friday was selected by 66 percent of the 12,000 BBC listeners as African Footballer of the year. The 24-year-old midfielder was named ahead of Mohammed Aboutrika, of Egyptian club side El Ahly, and his Chelsea colleague Didier Drogba, of Cote d'Ivoire, who came third.

More than 12,000 listeners to BBC World Service's Fast Track African sports programme voted in the poll.

Previous winners include Senegal's El-Hadji Diouf, Egypt's Mohamed Barakat, Sammy Kuffour of Ghana and Nigeria's Jay Jay Okocha, who won the award twice, in 2003 and 2004.