MTN Ghana and the Ghana Football Association (GFA) have sealed a $2 million deal which makes MTN the headline sponsor of the Black Stars ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The national team has been without a headline sponsor following the termination of its contract with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
Therefore, the MTN deal comes as a huge boost for the senior national football team.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister for Youth and Sports Mustapha Ussif thanked President Nana Akufo-Addo for his personal intervention in brokering the $2 million MTN sponsorship deal.
We could not have achieved this great support without the personal intervention of President Nana Akufo-Addo.”
He acknowledged MTN’s contribution to sports development and thanked them for investing in sports.
The Minister also said, “as the sector Minister, I can assure you that my Ministry is the custodian of every penny for the National teams, and just like every other corporate support we continue to receive, the funds will be used judiciously.”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Selorm Adadevoh, acknowledged during the ceremony that the $2 million sponsorship package was engineered by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Today was made possible, starting off by a meeting with the Group President and CEO Ralph Mupita, our Senior Vice-President for Market, Mr. Ebenezer Asante and President, to discuss the sponsorship that we celebrate today,” he said.
The MTN Group delegation paid a courtesy call on President Nana Akufo-Addo at his hotel during his visit to New York for the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last September.
During the meeting with the group delegation, President Akufo-Addo urged MTN to support the senior national football team prepare for the World Cup.
Kurt Edwin Simon Okraku, President of the GFA, recognized MTN as the Association’s longest-standing partner.
He praised the network provider for the numerous partnerships the association has had with them.
The GFA boss also stated that the players chosen for the 26-man squad would be warriors representing the Ghanaian flag.