Ghana’s Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwesi Amoako Atta (Hon.), on Monday, July 20, 2020, called on GFA President Kurt E.S Okraku at the federation’s headquarters in Accra.
The Minister, basically came around to check the progress of work on a bypass linking the GFA and its neighbours (i.e., the Ghana Tourism Authority, National Roads Safety Authority, Ministry of Railways Development (Annex), the Ghana Industrial Property Office and the Ministry for Business Development). The about 120 meters rough road has been fixed, with the assurance that the road will soon be asphalted by the Ministry to make it user friendly.
There may be no direct relationship between football and roads. But the two entities found a way to connect this time following the Minister’s visit to the GFA Headquarters.
The Roads and Highways Minister was accompanied by a high-powered delegation from his Ministry. The list includes Minister for Business Development Hon. Awal Mohammed, Chief Director of the Ministry of Roads and Highways and Mrs. May Obiri Yeboah, Executive Director of the National Road Safety Authority among others.
Hon. Kwesi Amoako Atta assured the GFA of his readiness to asphalt the road in front of the GFA premises and the administration when the need arises.
“Football is a business. Football is not just a national business but perhaps the number one international business in the world. When I saw the road leading to this high-profile office, I bowed down in shame because it was an eyesore.
“If there is any area that has done a lot for our country and marketed our country on the world scene, I can say without doubt that it is football and sports. That is why within a very short period, this delegation is here to visit you.
“My message to you is that, in less than a week, we are going to asphalt the road in front of your (GFA) office to make it user friendly.
GFA President Kurt E.S Okraku expressed gratitude to the Minister and his entourage for taking steps to fix the road in front of the premises and its surroundings.
“On behalf of the GFA, we welcome you and your entire team I will say, I am overly excited because I have felt uncomfortable driving on that piece of road.
“In the last few weeks, we received, what perhaps is game-changing support by the government via the YEA programme, and I remember during that session, I thanked our President (H.E Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo) on behalf of the entire sporting populace,” Mr Okraku mentioned.
“Little did I know that there more to come. Like you rightly said, if you are a regular visitor either to the Road Safety Authority office or the GFA premises, you will always not feel comfortable when you drive on that road. And given the fact that everybody in this country loves football, it means the traffic to this premises is pretty high.
“What you have done would aid our work. If you remember, before the COVID-19 set in, the game was on its way back. Patronage was on the rise, enthusiasm was pretty high. It tells you the kind of new energy we have brought into the football industry.
“I remember at my very first meet with the President, he asked me when we are going to start lifting the big trophies. I was quiet momentarily, and I said to him that, it will be soon but we need to get the fundamentals right. And this is a key fundamental which you have given to us.
“We are very grateful again, we will enjoy this road for many, many years to come and when the trophy starts to come here, you will be one of the best to be invited to celebrate with us,” Kurt Okraku also noted.
