Ghana and World Rugby met in a closed-door meeting on Saturday the 27th of August 2016 after four days of intensive Get-Into-Rugby (GIR) and Coaching Level 1 training course under the directive of Mr Herbert Mensah, President of Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU), to discuss progress and the way forward for Ghana Rugby.

Representatives from World and Africa Rugby included Mr Charles Yapo, Regional Development Officer – West of Africa Rugby, and Mr Adama Bakhoum, Director of Coaches from Rugby Afrique.

Ghana Rugby was represented by Herbert Mensah (President of the GRFU), Abdul-Aziz Issah (President of the Greater Accra Rugby Association – GARA – and GRFU Board Member), Bismark Amponsah (General Secretary of both the GRFU and CentWest Rugby Association), Steve Noi (GRFU Tournament Commissioner, Board Member and GIR Coordinator), Ernest Afloe (GRFU Board Member), Michael Ako Wilson (President of the Ghana Rugby Union Players Association – GRUPA – and Board Member of GARA), Kukua Aggrey (General Secretary of Gara) and Rafatu Inusah (Board Member of GARA).

According to Mr Charles Yapo, the main objective of their visit was to increase the stock of qualified youth development officers and coaches, and to also guide the management of the GRFU to improve the governance and development of Rugby in Ghana. The training and education mission also coincided with discussions on Ghana Rugby’s roadmap to becoming full members of World Rugby.

Mr Charles Yapo extended his gratitude and congratulations to Mr Herbert Mensah, for his remarkable support and for the outstanding managerial structures he has put in place with his executive team to run the affairs of Ghana Rugby.

Yapo also noted that there has been much improvement in terms of management and facilities since his last visit to the country in December 2015, and believes Ghana is capable of getting to the top in the next few years.

Speaking to the press the President, Mr Herbert Mensah, also expressed his appreciation to the representatives and to World Rugby in general for their recognition and involvement port

The President, who has been the main source of funding for Ghana Rugby to date, cited the lack of funds and sponsorships for Rugby as the main difficulty and challenge of the Union.

He said in an effort to solve that the board has put in place a Ghana Rugby Fundraising Task Force whose mission it is to place Ghana Rugby on a sound and sustainable income platform.

Mensah also said that his main inspiration comes from people and that, having met Charles Yapo and Adama Bakhoum, he has a renewed hope and belief that Ghana Rugby will in the foreseeable future make Ghanaians proud.

Mr Adama Bakhoum, Director of Coaches from Rugby Afrique, also commended the President for his tremendous efforts to make Rugby a popular game in the country and him to continue with the great work.

Bakhoum also said that the employment of world class systems such as the Sage Online Accounting System and the online scrumIT Rugby Management System by Ghana Rugby were excellent examples to the world of Rugby on how to ensure proper and adequate governance of the Game.

He further advised the officials under Mensah’s administration to offer the needed support to the President in order to speed up the development of the Game in Ghana.

The representative from Africa Rugby also presented official Get-Into-Rugby (GIR) balls to the President, Herbert Mensah, as acknowledgement of the efforts by Ghana Rugby with GIR.

By David N Cudjoe | Ghana Rugby | 3news.com