GFA Foundation donates to Silas Tetteh
According to the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr. Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, the establishment and subsequent launching of the GFA Foundation was borne out of the desire and commitment by the current leadership of the Association to enhance the living conditions of former footballers who might be in needy situations as a result of old age, ill-health, injury or general deprivation.
The GFA Foundation on Friday, donated GHC 50,000 to former coach of the Black Satellites Sellas Tetteh, who has been unwell in the last few years.
This was after the GFA Foundation visited the coach at his residence in Accra.
According to the President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Mr. Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, the establishment and subsequent launching of the GFA Foundation was borne out of the desire and commitment by the current leadership of the Association to enhance the living conditions of former footballers who might be in needy situations as a result of old age, ill-health, injury or general deprivation.
The visit to the ex-Black Stars coach is the first activity by the GFA Foundation which was outdoored earlier this week by the GFA as its social intervention arm.
Mr. Simeon-Okraku paid glowing tribute to Coach Sellas Tetteh for what he described as “invaluable and committed service” to the nation.
“I am happy to see to see you in good health”, he told the cheerful-looking former coach who also handled the national teams of Sierra Leone and Rwanda.
He took the opportunity to clarify recent news in the media to the effect that the GFA or the Ministry of Youth and Sports owes the coach some bonuses and salaries.
According to him, all entitlements including vehicles promised the team after the FIFA U-20 World Cup triumph had been fulfilled.
On his part, the Director of GFA Foundation, Mr. Malcolm Frazier Appeadu said the donation was a manifestation of the Foundation’s strategic objective of improving lives and livelihoods of football people and communities.
“We are not even a week old, but we felt it was absolutely necessary to come to you with the Foundation’s widow’s mite to facilitate your complete recovery and also towards your upkeep”, Malcolm said.
He reiterated that the gesture also falls in line with one of the GFA Foundation’s 5 thematic areas acronymized as GFA CARES which indicates support for welfare of ex-national players and football officials. He promised the coach that the Foundation would check up on him regularly.
Coach Tetteh, a former Black Stars and Black Satellites’ Coach, was grateful to both the GFA and its Foundation for the visit and donation.
He also thanked the President for personally sponsoring him for the CAF License A Refresher Course for coaches at the Ghanaman Centre of Excellence, Prampram in 2021.
He also thanked God for the immense benevolence Ghanaians have showed him since he retired from active coaching.
The family informed the GFA delegation that the coach was now fit, healthy and goes about his normal duties by himself such as driving, among other things.
Coach Tetteh led Ghana to win the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, becoming the first African team to win the competition. He was named the CAF coach of the year in 2009.
He was also a former coach for Rwanda and Sierra Leone senior national teams. On the local scene, he coached Dansoman based Liberty Professionals.
Source: newsghana.com.gh