A new football academy is to be built in Ghana after the Ghana Football Association satisfied soccer's world governing body, FIFA's requirement.
The deal, a Fifa Goal IV Project, was officially signed in Accra today as the construction of a football academy marks another milestone in Ghana's infrastructure development of the game.
The Ghana Football Association today sealed the signing of the Fifa Goal IV Project which is a US$ 403,000 contract for the construction.
According to the FA, the football academy which is another major step towards developing its football home at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence would serve both male and female footballers between the age range of 12,15 and 17.
"Over the last seven years, the Ghana Football Association has been a beneficiary of three Fifa Goal Projects.
"Today, we have signed yet another project with Fifa which is the construction of a football academy that consists of learning centres," President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwesi Nyantakyi who signed for the FA said.
"We want to give practical meaning to football and education. Apart from encouraging the acquisition of skill and talent, we are very interested in the total development of the individual thereby providing education to footballers.
“We will select the best Under-12 and Under-15 children nationwide for the academy and provide them with education as the national school curriculum directs. Their stay at the facilty would not only be restricted to football but they would be educated just like their mates do across the country.”
The football academy would have learning centres, pitches and offices for administrative personnel.
FIFA Development Officer in Charge of West Africa, Sampon Kablan says the project which is expected to be completed in seven months time is amongst the first by an African nation through Fifa funding.
"Ghana are the first to start the Fifa Goal IV. The brilliant ideas of Sepp Blatter and the Executive Committee have made this development programmes possible as it serves to make the FAs independent.
"Ghana has utilized its three other projects well and are set for a fourth.
"The Fifa Goal IV is approved and work would take 7 months," Kablan said.
The Fifa Goal Project is aimed at bridging the gap between the developed and advanced European countries and the under developed nations in Africa, Asia and South America to bring parity.
However, Fifa’s continuous assistance is set on certain criteria – prudent management, good governance and commitment to the realization of the targets.
Ghana's start to the development of the technical centre at Prampram was built with funding from the Goal I Project which was a grant of $400,000 whiles the funds for Goal II Project was invested in the House of Football - the headquarters of the Ghana Football Association in Accra.
Last month the Ghana Football Association commissioned the Goal III Project, which is a newly built multi-purpose dining and conference facility plus kitchen at Prampram.