President Mills hosts Black Stars to lunch as they return to heroes’ welcome

Supporters in their jubilant mood Email Print Have Your Say ( 5 ) The Black Stars of Ghana returned home to a tumultuous welcome Monday evening from Angola where they won silver at the 27th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. A sizeable crowd of enthusiastic Ghanaians clad in the national colours thronged the Kotoka International Airport singing the praises of the mostly youthful players and the rest of the team, who returned the gesture with broad smiles hand waves. The team is to meet President John Evans Mills over lunch at the Castle, Osu, on Tuesday, according to Food and Agric Minister, Kwesi Awhoi, who led a delegation of government officials to welcome the team back home and to congratulate them for a putting up a splendid performance. Among the players who arrived Monday evening aboard an Angolan Airline flight was Skipper Richard Olele Kingson, who on behalf of his colleagues, expressed gratitude to the government and people for the enormous show of support for the team, saying even though they desired to win the cup for Ghana, God designed otherwise, promising also that come June when the World Cup kicks off in South Africa, the Black Stars will give of their best and make the nation proud. Other players were Hans Adu Sarpei, Isaac Vorsah, Dede Ayew, Haminu Dramani, Isaac Inkoom, Kwadwo Asamoah, Asamoah Gyan, Opoku Agyeman, Agyeman Badu, Dominic Adiyiah, Ransford Osei, Rahim Ayew, Daniel Adjei, Eric Addo, Mousa Narry, Lee Addy, Philemon Macarthy, Anthony Annan, Mathew Amoah, Jonathan Mensah, Harrison Afful. Officials in the team included outgoing Youth and Sports Minister Rashid Pelpuo and his deputy, Nii Nortey Dua, GFA Vice President Fred Pappoe, Randy Abbey in charge of media affairs at the tournament, management members Owuahene Acheampong, Emmanuel Addotey, Alhaji Hearts and Fred Crentsil and the technical duo of Milovan Rajevac and his assistant, Kwasi Appiah. Mr Kwesi Nyantekyi, GFA President, was grateful to the government for paying the team’s bonuses promptly, saying it provided the timely catalyst to push the team on. He also believes the Black Stars have a bright future given the ages of the players and what they did, describing the tournament as one of the opportunities to prepare adequately for the World Cup. He said most of the young players who were offered a chance to play in the tournament justified their inclusion into the Black Stars and they will be the team to watch at the World Cup. Nyantakyi disclosed that Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac was voted as the Most Tactical Coach in the competition. Youth and Sports Minister-designate, Akua Sena Dansua praised the players for a brilliant show against their ‘uncles and fathers’, saying the ‘victory’ of the team paves the way for greater things to come. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana