Accra, Aug. 29, GNA- Mr John Allotey, the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, has appealed to timber industries across the country to financially support Samartex Footfall Club to excel in the ongoing CAF Champions League.
In addition to going to the stadium to support the team, Mr Allotey said corporate institutions needed to come to the aid of the team since it was capital intensive in playing the African Champions League tournament.
The Chief Executive Officer said this on Thursday when the leadership and some players paid a courtesy call on the Board of the Forestry Commission at the head office in Accra.
The purpose of the visit was to present the trophy they won in the 2023/2024 Ghana Premier League to the Board of the Commission.
Mr Allotey expressed satisfaction about the feat chalked by the team and was optimistic of more laurels in the future.
Samatex is among the best timber firms in the country in terms of production and protection of the environment.
“I am not surprised about the incredible achievement to win the Ghana Premier League,” he said.
Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II, Board Chairman of the Forestry Commission, commended the entire football team for making Ghana proud with the strides achieved.
He was elated that the team was established by a timber firm and encouraged them to go the extra mile and make a positive impact in their competition exploits.
Titrate Sekyim II, also the Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, said the trophy had given him the bragging right among his fellow Chiefs in the country.
For the appreciation of the Board, the Chairman presented an undisclosed amount of money to the team to urge them to perform well in their subsequent matches.
Mr Richard Nsenkyire, President of the Samartex Forestry Commission, described the ceremony as historic and said the timber firm did not only deal in wood processing but also focused on environmental sustainability interventions to protect forest ecosystems.
Mr Edmund Acquah, General Manager of Samatex Footfall Club, thanked the board of the Commission for the support and said the gesture would boost their morale in their games ahead.
Mr Emmanuel Adu Siaw, Captain of Samatex Footfall Club, attributed the success of the team to teamwork and hard work.
Samartex Footfall Club, established in 1996 in Samreboi in the Western Region, started as a second-division football team and qualified for the Premier League in 2022/2023 and won the league trophy in the 2023/2024 season.
The team will play Nsoatreman Football Club in the Champions of Champions on Saturday, August 31, 2023, at TNA Stadium in Tarkwa.
Samartex Footfall Club have qualified for the next stage of the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League to meet Moroccan side Raja Casablanca after beating Victoria United from Cameroon 2-0 on aggregate in home and away matches in the first round of the playoffs.
GNA