Vice-President leads officials/Hearts

Vice President Aliu Mahama on Tuesday led 26 football officials and players of Accra Hearts of Oak to Burkina Fasso, where the team will engage the National team, the Stallions, in a friendly match to raise funds for the Stadium disaster fund.

The Vice President, who will be away for two days was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Sports, Mr Joe Aggrey, Abedi Pele, former Black Star skipper and leading members of Hearts of Oak including its chairman, Mr Harry Zakkour.

Alhaji Mahama was welcomed at the Ouagadougou International Airport by Mr Paramanga Ernest Yonli, the Prime Minister and other high profile government officials as well as jubilant Ghanaians citizens in Burkina Fasso and drumming and dancing.

During a brief interaction with the press, Alhaji Mahama said the visit was at the invitation of the Burkinabe President Blaise Campaore. He expressed his appreciation to Burkina Fasso for the solidarity it has shown to Ghana since the May 9 stadium disaster that claimed the lives of 126 soccer fans.

He said a Burkinabe delegation visited Ghana to sympathised with the bereaved families, which was followed by a friendly match between the Stallions and Kumasi Asante Kotoko to raise funds for the disaster fund.

Alhaji Mahama said, he will use his visit to deepen bilateral relations and also study development trends in Burkina Fasso that could be of interest to Ghana.