The owner and chairman of English Premier League club Sunderland AFC, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, has led a delegation to call on Speaker of Parliament Alban Sumana Bagbin in Accra.
The visit came in response to Speaker Bagbin’s recent trip to the club’s headquarters in the United Kingdom as part of a strategic partnership linked to the annual Democracy Cup initiative.
Addressing ministers and chief executives from selected corporate institutions who attended the meeting, Mr. Louis-Dreyfus said the delegation’s visit was also aimed at strengthening the relationship between Sunderland AFC and Ghana.
He noted that the English club has longstanding ties with Ghana, pointing to the impact of former Black Stars players Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari and John Mensah, who all previously played for Sunderland.
We have over the years had different connections with Ghana and it’s time to institutionalize the relationship for the mutual benefits of both sides, he said.
Mr. Bagbin praised the delegation for reciprocating his visit, saying it showed a genuine interest in building a lasting partnership. He said the engagement went beyond football and could open up wider economic and business opportunities for Ghana.
This visit goes beyond football. There are many business opportunities for us as a country to explore. That is why we carefully selected participants for this important meeting, he said.
He urged ministers and business leaders present to take advantage of the discussions to explore possible areas of investment and cooperation.
The Speaker also said Sunderland AFC could play a role in supporting and promoting the annual Democracy Cup, while helping Ghana deepen collaboration in youth development and women’s football.
Football is the most popular sport in the country and the relationship will help strengthen its growth in Ghana. We are looking forward to having a deeper relationship with Sunderland to help us in the areas of youth development and women football, he said.
At the end of the visit, Mr. Bagbin presented each member of the delegation with a special fugu, a gesture that highlighted Ghanaian hospitality and the growing goodwill between both sides.
