The Local Organizing Committee of the WAFU Zone B U-17 Cup of Nations have called on Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif (Hon.) to update him on preparations for the tournament and to solicit for support to stage a successful competition Cape Coast.

The Central Regional capital has been selected to host the sub-regional competition from Saturday, June 11 – Friday, June 24, 2022.

The Local Organizing Committee was led by Chairman Samuel Anim Addo. Others included, James Essilfie – Member and Tournament Coordinator Ama Brobey Williams.

Minister of Sports Mustapha Ussif (Hon.) and his Deputy Evans Opoku Bobie (Hon.) represented the Ministry.

Chairman of the LOC Samuel Anim Addo briefed the Minister on progammes and campaigns that have already been carried out by the Committee and assured that plans are afoot for Cape Coast to host one of the best football events in history.

‘’Honorable Minister, so far, we have carried out a number of events and media engagements in the lead up to the tournament and it is refreshing to note that we are on course ‘’ the LOC Chairman said.

‘’We held a press soiree at La Palm Beach Hotel on Friday, May 19 to interact with the media, seek their views and to canvass support for us to host a great tournament.

‘’We visited the Oguahene Osabarima Kwasi Atta II on Tuesday, May 24 to seek his blessings and support after which the tournament was officially launched at the Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast’’

‘’Honourable Minister, I am glad to inform you that as part of the Beyond the Return campaign, we have reached an agreement with the Tourism Ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority to come use this tournament to promote tourism since Cape Coast is a rich tourism hub.

‘’Finally, we have started our engagements with the Embassies of the six participating countries to get them to organize and bus their nationals to Cape Coast to watch their teams on Match Days’’ he added.

The LOC later appealed to the Sports Ministry to facilitate the attendance of about 5000 Ghanaian supporters to every Black Starlets game to motivate and cheer the young lads to victory.

For his part, Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif (Hon.) pledged his support and admonished the LOC to make the tournament a success and historic. The Minister mentioned that he has been tasked by H.E Nana Akufo Addo - President of the Republic to assist them with the necessary support to make the tournament a success.

‘’This Tournament should be a Host and win agenda for Ghana’’ said the Minister.

‘’It’s been long that Ghana participated in the U-17 World Cup so this is a great opportunity for Ghana to win the WAFU, go to Africa and qualify for the World Cup’’

This is what we are noted and we need to think along that line’’ Hon. Mustapha added.

Seven countries including Defending Champions Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso and Host Ghana will compete for the title from June 11 -24, 2022.