By: Henneh Vincent
Dr. Ernest Koranteng, Chief Executive Officer of BAC Group, paid a courtesy call on Prof. Kobby Mensah, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development (GTD), to brief him on preparations for this year’s All Star Festival (ASF), describing the event as a “massive vendor convocation” that will draw traders, public figures and sporting talent under one roof.
Outlining the scope of the expo, Dr. Koranteng said the festival would bring together vendors “from all walks of life,” spanning the automobile, FMCG, clothing and cosmetics sectors, among others.He said room had also been made for socialites and celebrities, turning to Pro. Mensah himself to make the point.
You’re an icon in this society. You’re a celebrated individual in this country, and there’s no doubt about it,” Koranteng told him, to which the GTD boss responded simply, “That’s very true.”
If the stars who are living their dream of playing professionally in Ghana and abroad are going to converge, why don’t we use the opportunity to also unearth some talent who will take after them?”
Beyond the commercial and celebrity drawcards, Dr. Koranteng revealed a talent-scouting dimension to this year’s edition. With scouts and agents expected to be present, the BAC group are using the convergence of professional players based in Ghana and abroad as a springboard to discover the next generation of talent.
As part of that effort, there will be a curtain raiser between Presbyterian Secondary School (Presec) and Accra Academy in this year’s edition.
He described the day’s format as a full-scale expo, running from 10 a.m. through to an after-party, with the vendor convocation, celebrity attendance and schools’ talent hunt all unfolding across the same programme.
Receiving a jersey presented to him during the visit, Mensah expressed pride in GTD’s continued association with the festival. He recalled that GTD had come on board for last year’s edition, providing its branded bus in support of the event, and confirmed the partnership would continue this year.
We are very proud to be associated with ASF. Last year we gave you our iconic bus, and it’s happening again this year. We have to make sure we take good care of it, for the bus’s health, and of course, the protection of the lives of our patriots.”
The courtesy call signals the deepening of a partnership between BAC Group and GTD heading into ASF26, with this year’s edition positioned to blend commerce and grassroots football development into a single day-long showcase.
