By Theophilus Sampah
Launch of the inaugural First Lady’s Football Cup Competition has taken place in Accra. The First Lady of Ghana, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo said the initiative was appropriately-timed to galvanize support to help develop women’s football in the country.
The Office of the First Lady was the venue for the official launch of the inaugural First Lady’s Cup competition.
The First Lady’s Cup is an innovation from Primeval in association with the Ghana League Clubs Association, GHALCA. The annual event is expected to honour the spouse of any sitting President of the Republic of Ghana and began 2021 with Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo- wife of President Akufo-Addo.
Personalities at the launch included the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Samira Bawumia, the Chief of Staff, Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, Sanitation and Water Resources and Gender and Social Protection Minister, Cecilia Abena Daapah, some Captains of Industries in Ghana, Representatives from Foreign Missions, stakeholders of the game including leadership of the Ghana Football Association led by its President Kurt Okraku, a former Black Stars Head Coach, James Kwasi Appiah and a host of others from governmental agencies.
The Chief of Staff Madam Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, thanked Mrs Akufo Addo for using her office to champion change in society.
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Yussif promised more support to developing the women’s game.
The Head Coach of the Senior National Women’s Football Team, Mrs. Mercy Tagoe Qaurcoo outlined a number of challenges mitigating against the positive growth of women’s football in Ghana.
The First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo, re-echoed her desire to support the game’s development.
A special fundraiser yielded more than GH ₵ 1 million to develop Women’s football in Ghana. The funds would among other things be used to establish the First Women’s School of Soccer Excellence in West Africa and organize the inaugural edition of the First Lady’s Cup, a tournament billed as the female version of the Ghana League Clubs Association’s Presidents Cup.
The trophy will be contested by the winners of the Southern Zone of the National Women’s League, Hasaacas Ladies and the winners of the Northern Zone of the National Women’s League, Ampem Darkoa Ladies.
