Audio Attachment Listen to President Mills speaking at the award ceremony for the Satellites.
The Government has presented a $750,000 reward package to players and handlers of Ghana’s Under-20 team for winning the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
The package includes 30 brand new Toyota Corolla vehicles to be distributed among the players and the technical team in addition to an investment package.
President Mills presented the package to the team at a ceremony at the Castle, Osu, Thursday morning.
In an address, the president assured the Satellites that Government would make available to them all donations that would be received on their behalf, stressing: “Some more donations are coming in.”
President Mills said Government had taken into consideration the fact that the players are still in their primes and that a decision had to be taken “to secure the future of these young men.”
Chairman of the committee which put together the package, Oko Niikoi Dzani, said the committee had recommended a life insurance policy and investments worth GH¢10,000 for each of the players.
At maturity in 15 years, the investments, which will be locked up in bonds, will each be worth GH¢160,000.
Experience is best teacher
The president said his profound experience in sports had informed his decision to set up a committee to recommend an appropriate reward for the Satellites.
“I am aware that I have come under very heavy criticism for not making a presentation to the Satellites the very moment they paid me a visit at the Castle to present the trophy to me and members of my government.
“Experience is the best teacher,” Prof Mills said, adding “I decided, therefore, [that] I would do something out of the ordinary so that it’s something that is long-lasting, something that we can defend and something that represents a new way forward in the right direction.”
The Black Satellites beat their Brazilian counterparts 4:3 in a nail-biting penalty shootout in the finals of the Fifa U-20 World Cup Championship in Egypt, to become world champions.
