AFCON trophy arrives in Ghana morrow

Ghana will be the envy of the continent as she plays host to the coveted Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) trophy which arrives in the country tomorrow, September 29, for a three-day tour.

The tour official begins on October 1 and ends on October 3 2009. Ghana is the trophyís first stop in a seven-nation trophy tour sponsored by Standard Bank, the parent company of Stanbic Bank Ghana.

African football legend and three-time African Player of the Year, Maestro Abedi Pele, is for the second time in a row the Chief Football Ambassador for the Trophy Tour. Activities lined up for the three days to outdoor the trophy and offer Ghanaians an opportunity to interact with the ambassador and the trophy include courtesy calls on the President of the Ghana and the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, a press conference, a float through some principal streets in Accra, a Soccer clinic with some youth among others.

Head of Marketing and Public Affairs Stanbic Bank, Mawuko Afadzinu believes this is a unique experience not to be missed. The initiative to take the Trophy to the fans across the continent is a special one. We are also delighted to have Abedi Pele, our nationís hero, representing Stanbic Bank as he is respected across Africa for both his expertise and commitment to footballís growth, development and administration.

Standard Bank will be the only African corporate sponsor to the Orange Africa Cup of Nations ANGOLA 2010, Africaís premier football tournament.

In November 2008, Standard Bank signed a new Football sponsorship agreement with CAF to be the official sponsor of 5 specific tournaments over an 8 year period that includes the CAF Confederations Cup, Champions League, Orange African Youth Championship and African Nations Championship.

The decision to partner with CAF over an eight year period was driven by Standard Bankís growing presence as a leading emerging markets bank on the African continent.

We are proud to be able to have a long-standing commitment to CAF which showcases Africaís accomplishments in the sport through tournaments that attract continental and global audiences. It is because of our desire to make meaningful connections with the communities in which we operate across the continent that we have become a sponsor of the Africa Cup of Nations event until 2016 said Alhassan Andani, Managing Director of Stanbic Bank.

The 2010 Orange Africa Cup of Nations, which will be held between January 10 and January 31 has increased significance next year as five of the 16 nations involved will compete for the right to represent Africa at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa the first World Cup to be hosted on the African continent