Kenpong (L), JJ, Asiamah, Appiah and Bahmed at the event
Business contractor, Kennedy Agyepong (Kenpong) was among the high profile dignitaries that graced the Coach EK Afranie Memorial Foundation Book Launch in Accra recently.
He was joined by former president, Jerry Rawlings, Youth and Sports Minister, Isaac Kwame Asiamah, Roads and Highways Minister, Kwasi Amoako-Atta, Black Stars coach, Kwasi Appiah, Alhaji Ahmed Bandoh(Bahmed) among others, who purchased the book ranging for several thousands of Cedis.
Kenpong bought a copy of the book for GH¢15,000 to support the initiative while the Sports Ministry donated GH¢20,000 for the cause.
Authored by Dan Kwaku Yeboah, Head of Sports, Peace FM, the book was to raise funds to support the Korle-Bu Stroke Unit, where the departed coach was hospitalized until his death, as well as needy but talented football children.
The book captures the illustrious achievement of the celebrated coach, who has handled all the national soccer teams.
“It is to raise funds to support the Korle-Bu Stroke Unit. The departed coach’s family approached me with this initiative to support the Unit due to the deplorable conditions at the ward, the few weeks he was admitted,” said the author.
Indications are that a date for a special match involving the Black Stars and Asante Kotoko would soon be announced to also raise funds to support the unit.
Afranie died in a tragic car crash in an ambulance when he was being transferred from Korle-Bu to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital at Bonsu on the Accra-Kumasi Highway, having suffered severe stroke for sometime.
He coached four Ghanaian national teams to qualify for the World Cup- the Black Starlets in 1991, 1997, 2001 with the Black Satellites where he won silver, and the Black Queens in 1999.
The former Kotoko coach deputized for coach Otto Pfister when Ghana won gold at the U-17 level with the Alex Opoku, Emmanuel Duah, Sebastian Barnes, Odartey Lamptey, Yaw Preko, Baba Musah, Ben Owu etc.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum