CAF Inspection Team In Ghana

A POWERFUL Delegation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Federation International de Football Association (FIFA) is in Ghana to inspect stadia and hotel facilities for upcoming events in 2009 and 2010.

Sources close to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) indicated that the secretariat received at short notice a request last weekend, asking them to draw out a programme for the visit by CAF and FIFA officials from 2nd to 11th November 2008.

The source said the inspection is for upcoming international competitions in various cities which will be chosen by the country's soccer governing body, the GFA.

In a letter to the President of the GFA, the CAF said officials for the inspection included Seyi K. Memene of Togo, the 1st Vice-President of CAF who doubles as an automatic member of FIFA; Kodzo Samla, a member of CAF formerly with Africa Number one Radio who is also from Togo; and Ivorian, Kablan Sampon, FIFA Development Officer in charge of the West Africa sub-region.

Credible information from the GFA indicated that the inspection by the delegation would be centered on Accra, Kumasi and Tamale, as the Essipong Stadium in Sekondi/Takoradi due to the stampede that characterized the Ghana/Lesotho match.

Although Ghana hosted successfully the last 26th MTN Edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, Ghana 2008, CAF is of the view that before the 2009, 2010 soccer seasons commence, it would be prudent to inspect the state of some of the facilities for possible international competitions.

By Pierre Toto