GFA President Kurt E.S Okraku’s Full Speech At The Signing Of Partnership Between Decathlon and Ghana FA

ADDRESS BY GFA PRESIDENT KURT E.S. OKRAKU
GFA/DECATHLON GHANA PARTNERSHIP LAUNCH
JUNCTION MALL

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 2020.

• Her Excellency Anne Sophie AVÉ, the Ambassador of France to The Republic of Ghana;
• Heads of the French and Ghanaian Business Communities;
• The Management and Staff of Decathlon;
• Executives and Staff of the Ghana Football Association;
• Colleagues in the football industry;
• Friends from the Media
• Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am extremely elated to witness the culmination of months of deliberation on the establishment of a strategic partnership between Ghana’s football governing body, the Ghana Football Association and the stalwart brand in the sports industry, Decathlon Ghana Limited. I would like to thank all of you for your presence at tonight’s event to witness another milestone for the GFA and to extol the initiative taken by Decathlon Ghana Limited.

The journey up to this point has been a worthwhile experience which has confirmed to me that Corporate Ghana is certainly listening to the rallying call of the football association.

Decathlon is a globally recognized brand that shares a common interest with the GFA specifically in football and in sports in general. The company has a phenomenal corporate background of business traditions spanning over 50 countries across the World. Their approach to this Partnership, as you are witnessing this evening, is to sharpen access and focus on communicating and reinforcing the brand’s commitment to the community it operates in.

The Ghana Football Association has offered Decathlon Ghana Limited the unrivaled opportunity to take full advantage of the enormous visibility platforms available to it via the GFA. Football is a widely loved and cherished sports to many people and Ghana is no exception. Our two entities have a shared interest in boosting the relationship between our brands and our stakeholder, fans or consumers.
Your Excellency, the title of “Official Retail Partner” conferred on Decathlon Ghana Ltd is a key role in the grand scheme of this administration.

Often have I stated that the GFA is on an impactful quest to bring back the love for Ghanaian football. It touches on all our stakeholder (Footballers, Referees, Football Administrators, Clubs, Retired Player and most importantly, the Fans). It is through innovation in the way we manage sports that will ensure that everyone can own a piece of the brand. The GFA-Decathlon Ghana Partnership therefore consists of the signing of a four (4) year partnership agreement with GFA to be the Official Retail Partner. The Partnership will include:

The Provision of One Thousand (1000) Kipsta Balls valued at One Hundred Fifty Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc150,000.00) per year for four years . These balls have been specifically allocated to the Women’s Premiere League. It is no secret that Women’s football is gathering momentum worldwide and Ghana is no exception. This partnership will ensure that the Women’s games are well equipped to enable them excel in their discipline. Therefore, over the 4-year contract period Decathlon Ghana will support the development of Women’s football in Ghana to the tune of GH¢600,000.00.

Again, as the Official Retail Partner, Decathlon Outlets will be established as Sales Points for the sale of GFA Merchandising Products
With the recent launch of the New National Teams Jerseys, we are encouraged by the electrifying reception of it by fans and society in general. During the recent friendlies where the Jerseys where officially out-doored by the Black Stars, our social media platforms were besieged with requests for information on where to purchase the new Jerseys, and tonight I can confirm that the wait is over. Under this Partnership, Decathlon Ghana Ltd will be the Official GFA Retail Partner for the sale of all Black Stars Paraphernalia.

The GFA will also have the honour of receiving other complementary Sports products valued at Ghc100,000.00 per year, totaling GH¢400,000.00 for the four (4) year period under this agreement. All to be used by clubs in the Women Premiere League (WPL).

Your Excellency, I am always delighted when corporate Ghana makes a concerted effort to support the football industry in Ghana. I always look forward to these events, which is, the celebration of moments where history is made by the official endorsements of commitments; commitments that activate hope and create boundless opportunities. You feel the goodwill, the inspiration and the passion behind the intentions.

GFA is delighted to have entered into this partnership with Decathlon Ghana. This cooperation represents a significant step for the GFA’s competitions, its brand positioning and access to football merchandise for all stakeholders.
I wish all of us the best for the journey ahead
Thank you, Ladies and Gentlemen. Enjoy the event.