Lead sponsor to the Black Stars World Cup Fund, Engineers and Planners (E&P) have paid a first installment of two million US Dollars ($2m), part of the $5m they pledged as Ghana’s corporate community intensified support behind the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Group CEO of E&P Ibrahim Mahama led a powerful delegation to present a symbolic cheque to Deputy Finance Minister and Chairman of the Black Stars World Cup Fundraising Committee, Thomas Nyarko Ampem on Thursday, having already paid the amount into the special World Cup account opened at the Bank of Ghana – to ensure transparency and proper allocation towards the team’s preparation.
Mr Mahama stated that his company which recently celebrated a landmark acquisition of Damang gold mine and just sold their first gold production output to the Bank of Ghana, sees the contribution to the Black Stars as a social responsibility because it is a contribution to all Ghanaians.
“Contributing to the Black Stars means that you are contributing to everybody. This is to say that we are committed to Ghana,” he said at the Ministry of Finance conference room in Accra.
“We just did our first gold pour and we sold it to the Bank of Ghana which we are very proud to say that this was our intention to be able to support the country.”
He pointed out that this is just the beginning of the redemption of their full pledge and assured that E&P will redeem the balance of three million Dollars promised. He however demanded for recognition of the unique role of workers of E&P in the national team’s USA/Mexico/Canada journey.
“We want to see that our workers who contribute to help us, to contribute to you, will also like a place in there to be able to be recognized that their hard work really contributed to the Black Stars,” he said.
The contribution, forms part of a growing wave of financial backing aimed at strengthening Ghana’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the official launch of the fundraising initiative by President John Dramani Mahama in March, targeting $30 million from corporate Ghana and the general public.
The campaign includes innovative measures such as a national raffle to drive broader participation and engagement, with Sports Minister Kofi Iddie Adams also asserting that the drive is intended to ensure strong Ghanaian representation at the tournament, particularly among diaspora communities who often face high ticket costs.
E&P’s gesture set the tone for the day, as several other organisations honoured their commitments, bringing the total amount redeemed so far to Gh¢13,931,500 and $2m following the receipt of a total of Gh¢8,540,000 at the first presentations two weeks ago led by KGL’s Gh¢5m first tranche of Gh¢10m pledged.
Other new contributors included GT Bank (Gh¢2,236,000), First Atlantic Bank (1,102,000), Timeline & Innovation (1,000,000), First National Bank (553,500) and Petroleum Commission (500,000), totalling Gh¢5,391,500
Receiving the cheques, Deputy Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem expressed appreciation to Ghanaians for responding positively to the call for donations to support the participation of the Black Stars at the June 11-July 19 World Cup. Ghana will play Panama, England and Croatia in Group L of a historic 48-team tournament.
“On behalf of the Black Stars and all Ghanaians, we say a very big thank you to all these institutions and individuals who have seen the need to support our Black Stars to go and fly high the flag of the Republic of Ghana,” Mr Ampem said.
