The Volta Regional Football Association (VRFA) leadership, led by Chairman Daniel Agbogah, paid a courtesy visit to Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, to express gratitude for his attendance at the Regional Middle League final in Ho.
The visit followed an impressive Regional Middle League final and coronation of Inter Allies FC who were crowned champions after winning 4-1 on penalties against WAFA SC.
The MP was elated to receive members of the Regional FA which included the Executive Council Member, Mr. William Ackumey, Mr. Mark Coffie, and Mr. Hamza Mutala.
The rest were the CEO of Inter Allies FC, Mr. Delali Senayah, and two Auxiliary staff of the Regional FA, Raymond Tsiagbe and Tilda Acorlor.
The RFA Chairman thanked Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa for honoring the final. He said his administration is committed to bringing leaders on board to help in the improvement and development of football in the region.
“We want to Thank you for honoring our final, for us as a group we are committed to giving football a facelift, and we want to bring our leaders on board,” Mr. Agbogah said.
“Since 2019 we took charge of football we created awareness over the 4 years, we intend to improve football and make it accessible to all in the Volta region and beyond,” He added.
He bemoaned the lack of infrastructure, corporate support, and involvement describing it as the major problems affecting the development of football in the region.
“We need more facilities to help football Infrastructure which is our major problem, football facilities are nothing to write home about,” Mr. Agbogah said.
“Football has become a career path knowing the economic strength of our region, we would need more corporate Society Involvement,” he added.
Executive Council Member, William Ackumey reechoed the chairman’s comment adding an appeal to the Honorable Member of Parliament to assist in building a formidable relationship between football and corporate entities to enhance the development of football in the region.
Other members of the delegation, Raymond Tsiagbe, Mr. Mark Coffie, Hamza Mutala, and the CEO of Inter Allies FC, Mr. Delali Senayah added their voices, saying the game in the region would need to be upgraded through workshops and training, involvement of MPs to help evolve the game and attention to the full completion and further release of the Youth Resource Center in Adaklu for use.
In response, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa commended the Regional FA for their passion in the promotion and development of football in the region.
He admitted that the game had not been developed enough although it is the passion of the nation.
The honorable member also bemoaned the lack of Sports Policy which he said would have given a clear direction to Ghana’s sports industry.
“Football has built a lot of ties Internationally, football is not being developed enough, football is in crisis and we have all contributed to it, and we have a lot of work to do,” Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa said.
The MP for North Tongu disclosed that when sports is vibrant, the youth will be busy and stay away from social vices, which will reduce the rate of crime and help develop the country. He referred to one of the policies in the UK with regards to the Premier League.
On Infrastructure, the MP pledged his support on the way forward to get the region sporting infrastructures, he bemoaned the unfair distribution of Astroturfs which the region has none. He again cited how sports and good infrastructures are attracting tourists and dignitaries to visit Rwanda which is a boost to their economy.
Hon. Ablakwa further encouraged and advised the Regional FA to think innovatively to attract Corporate Ghana to invest in football.
He pledged his support in securing a suitable stadium for the Volta Region and engaging with corporate entities to focus on football development.
He also urged the sports community to develop a simple basic local infrastructure model for community-based games, benefiting residents to enjoy the game in the local communities.
The meeting ended with a commitment to collaborate and promote football growth in the Volta Region.
VRFA Communications
