The Minifootball Association of Ghana has officially unveiled the country’s national teams and strategic partners at a media engagement held on Thursday, August 27, at the Ministry of Information. The event brought together key stakeholders from Ghana’s sports fraternity, including Director-General of the National Sports Authority Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, President of the Minifootball Association of Ghana Bernard Paakow Ekumah, Secretary-General Emmanuel Anyetei Adjei, Suniel CEO Daniel Kotey Adjei, Ghana Police Sports Director, ASP Bernice Rashidatu Abdulai Timbilla, President of the Handball Association of Ghana Nii Lante Bannerman, as well as members of the national women’s minifootball and women’s handball teams.
The unveiling also marked a significant partnership between the Minifootball Association of Ghana and Suniel, with the Ghanaian company becoming the official sponsor responsible for fully kitting the national minifootball teams. The partnership is expected to provide a major boost to the teams as they prepare to represent Ghana on international assignments.
Speaking at the event, National Sports Authority Director-General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah expressed his appreciation to Suniel for supporting the national teams, describing the gesture as an important step towards strengthening Ghanaian sports. “I am excited about this support. This is a great moral booster for our sports and a right direction to reset Ghana sports,” he said.
Suniel CEO Daniel Kotey Adjei said the company was honoured to support Ghanaian sports and saw the partnership as part of its broader commitment to creating opportunities for young people. “It is a great honour to stand before you today as a co-founder and director of Suniel and, most importantly, as the official head sponsor for the meaningful globalization of Ghana. Suniel started in China, where we have our head office, and after 15 years there, we came to Ghana to establish and expand our operations,” he said.
He added, “I have been told this is the first time in the history of Ghana that a local Ghanaian company has fully equipped a national team. We believe in giving opportunities to the youth, training and equipping them to compete internationally. As we expand, we are also creating employment opportunities for young people. We currently have about 15 staff, but coming next year, we intend to employ more youth. Suniel has established itself as a powerhouse in the corporate consumer business, backed by an international production and supply network.”
President of the Minifootball Association of Ghana Bernard Paakow Ekumah called on Ghanaians, corporate bodies and the wider sports community to rally behind the national teams as they prepare for their assignments. “This is a growing sport which we all have to pull along. Support us, and I know my team will not disappoint us. Wear your Ghana colours and support us,” he said.
The Secretary-General of the Minifootball Association of Ghana, Emmanuel Anyetei Adjei, was also present at the engagement, alongside other officials and members of the national teams. The presence of the women’s handball team further highlighted the Association’s desire to strengthen collaboration across sporting disciplines.
ASP Bernice Rashidatu Abdulai Timbilla, Director of Police Sports delivered a solidarity message centred on teamwork, service and collective responsibility. “It is an honour to represent the Ghana Police Service at this particular event. I have been asked to give a solidarity message, and there is no message better than telling you the philosophy of the Ghana Police Service; we live by service with integrity, service to ourselves, our sisters and brothers, the vulnerable and the weak, and even service to the strong,” he said.
She continued, “we stand together in solidarity to achieve greater heights. In our weakness, we stand together; in our strength, we stand together. The Ghana Police Service stands with you, and I believe every sports fraternity, every sports organisation and every human being who believes in health, progress, achievement, discipline and security stands with you. Let us stand together in solidarity for our people.”
The engagement ended with official kits from Suniel to the Director General, Board Chairman of NSA Dr. Awaah and to the national team, Minifootball women’s team and Handball women’s team.
By: Victoria Kwofie
