BMWs For Black Stars, If ....

Accra, Sept. 1, GNA - Eighteen players and seven officials of the Black Stars would each receive a brand new BMW saloon car "One series" if the team qualifies for the 2006 World Cup slated for Germany. The technical handlers would use their own discretion to select the players who fall within the 18 players. If the World Cup dream becomes real, the cars (all black in colour) would be delivered to the 25-member contingent in January with special number plates baring the players' numbers to be prefixed by "Star". EXP Monumentum and RICS Consult, advertising partners of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), are putting together a syndicate to provide the cars for the team intended to further boost their morale to give Ghana a desired maiden World Cup berth. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its missions abroad has meanwhile raised more than 180 million cedis to support the Black Stars. Rexford Darko, Chief Executive officer of Mechanical Lloyd Company Limited, local representatives of BMW, announced at a ceremony in Accra that there would be a total of 50,000 Euro discount by the company on the cars, each valued at 23,000 Euro. The cars would cost 450,000 Euro, 18,000 Euro each excluding the discount and tax exemption. Aside the discount, Mechanical Lloyd has also promised the team a quarter of a million cedis each should they qualify while plans are afoot for the German manufacturers of the car, BMW, to host the Stars in Germany. The syndicate is targeting two million Euros, part of which would cater for the needs of the Black Stars during next year's Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt and the World Cup in Germany. Mr Rex Danquah of RICS Consult said a special account number had been opened for corporations and all Ghanaians to contribute to the realisation of the dream. He told GNA Sports that already some banks including SG-SSB had contributed into the account adding, "we have almost realised the cost the cars". He hinted, however, that if the team failed to qualify, the cars would be sold and the money paid into GFA's account. Mr O. B. Amoah, a Deputy Minister of Education and Sports, urged the Stars to maul Uganda on Sunday at the Baba Yara Stadium to make the final qualifier in Cape Verde Island a mere formality. Ghana tops the log on 15 points, albeit on goals difference in Group Two made up of South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso, Uganda and Cape Verde. South Africa is on the heels of Ghana also on 15 points but with inferior goals followed by DR Congo on 12 points. The group's dark horses, Cape Verde Island, occupy the fourth position with 10 points, Burkina Faso is on nine points while Uganda is rooted at the bottom with seven points. The Stars would have to win their last two games to join the world soccer elites in Germany next year.