Accra Great Olympics return to the elite division of Ghana football received a boost yesterday after the club unveiled a new partnership with Global Village Media Group which has acquired a 40 per cent shares in the club worth GH¢400,000.
It was a new chapter in the chequered history of the Wonder Club which brought together the Ga Mantse, Minister of Youth and Sports, Mahama Ayariga, the movers and shakers of Ghana football, including GFA President Kwesi Nyantakyi, PLB boss Welbeck Abra-Appiah, GHALCA chairman Alhaji Ali Raji, and heavyweights of the club such as Amarkai Amarteifio, Fred Pappoe, Richard Oblitei Solomon, and current Board Chairman Afotey Odai. Other personalities present included Maj (retd) Albert Don-Chebe of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Fadi Fattal, Executive Director of Global Village Group.
One of the highlights of yesterday’s event was a presentation by Mr Fattal of a dummy cheque for GH¢100,000 to Olympics Board chairman, as part payment of their equity investment.
As part of the deal, Optimum Media Prime (OMP), a subsidiary of Global Village, has provided Olympics club with an office located at Ridge; two cars, one for the club’s secretariat and the other for the coach, a club house and a 30-seater bus for the players.
The new arrangement will also see Olympics receiving GH¢75,000 in sponsorship fee from OMP for Metropolitan Television (Metro TV) to advertise on the club’s new jerseys for the upcoming season.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Fattal said his outfit had initiated moves to ensure that Olympics became one of the most formidable sides in the First Capital Plus Premier League.
“We are confident that this new partnership will not only bring about the needed revival of Accra Great Olympics FC, but also extend to the bigger football community and bring about a paradigm shift in football administration in the country,” he said.
Former Hearts of Oak coach and one-time Olympics defender, David Duncan, whose appearance drew wild applause from the club’s supporters, has been tipped to take over the club as coach.
Mr Ayariga, who was the guest of honour, pledged the government’s support for the team and urged the management to cater for the needs of the players to guarantee their security.
For his part, Mr Nyantakyi lauded the initiative, saying it would help inject more professionalism in the running of Olympics and said he hoped it would set a benchmark for other clubs to follow.
