Provision of infrastructure development contributes to optimum performances by players and that is the surest way that football will certainly develop.

And on his first visit to Prampram, the venue of Ghana’s technical home - the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence,- FIFA President, Sepp Blatter remained thrilled with the work done and the structures put in place by Ghana.

Blatter, Issa Hayatou and Michel Platini joined forces with members of the Ghana Football Association and the sports ministry together with key players in sports to inaugurate three FIFA funded Goal Projects in the country on Saturday.

Together on the tour were FA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi and his Vice, Fred Pappoe, Kofi Nsiah, the General Secretary, Randy Abbey, Fred Crentsil, Awuah Nyamekye and other members of the Executive Committee.

Also in attendance was deputy sports minister, O.B. Amoah and former sports minister, E.T. Mensah, who is a member of parliament.

Blatter after the tour gave praise to the Ghanaian team for utilising the funds judiciously while promising FIFA’s support to the continent.

Prampram has become synonymous with football and that dream of developing 100 acre of land into a modern sport complex started some four years ago with a $400,000 grant funding from FIFA’s Goal finances while the FAP – Financial Assistance Programme supported with $174,00 with the Ghana government making up the rest of the $800,000 project with $226,000.

The Ghana Football Association after FIFA’s initial support has improved other facilities at the national camp in Prampram.

Already late last year, work started in Prampram on the site, the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence as the second phase of construction work progresses.

Funding from the remaining phases is internally generated as part of Ghana’s World Cup prize money is been channeled into developing facilities while the FA boosts its finances to enable them achieve their long term targets.

From the national camp, the journey headed to the harbour area of Tema within the Ghanaian capital, Accra, for the inspection of the first national artificial field.

The Tema Sports Stadium, which used to have a natural grass turf has been replaced with the artificial field, one of FIFA’s projects to make sure every member country has such a facility as the game is played on both surfaces this days.

Artificial fields are less expensive to maintain and last for a longer periods as compared to the use of grass.

An exhibition game for two youth teams draw from the Tema metropolis was played to test the new grounds which would be opened to domestic football in the coming months.

Then the final leg of the commissioning tour ended at the headquarters of the Ghana Football Association where Sepp Blatter unveiled the new secretariat of the FA.

The funding for the FA’s offices in is line with FIFA’s hopes of seeing members operate from their own “House of Football”.

And to start the project, FIFA provided $400,000 while the Ghana Football Association supplemented with an extra $100,000 for the $500,000 new “House of Football”.

FIFA in 2002 decided to help Ghana improve the infrastructural base of the game after the nation’s success at the various youth competitions and women’s game.

And a year later, the Goal Bureau approved the construction of a technical centre in Ghana. With the introduction of the Ghana Football Association’s development programme, the Goal Project started with the help of FIFA would be developed further.

Today, the proactive style of the Ghana Football Association with the support of the Sports Ministry has seen the site develop into a modern sports facility.

But the FA chooses to downplay the development made so far at the site with the second phase of development already underway.