The Business Africa Consulting Group (The BAC Group) launched the 2023 All Star Festival on Wednesday, 3rd May at Eusbett Hotel in Sunyani in the Bono Region.

Following the success story of the first edition in June 2022, the All-Star game which has evolved into a festival will be hosted by three Brong Ahafo regions of Bono, Bono-East and Ahafo.

All three regions will have the opportunity to take part in the All-Star Festival from Bechem to Dormaa with a series of activities scheduled from the 20th-22nd June, 2023.

Chief Executive of The BAC Group, Dr Ernest Koranteng, explained that the decision to organize the 2023 edition of the All-Star Festival in Brong Ahafo is to celebrate the contributions of the region to Ghana football over the decades.

“The people of Brong Ahafo have been contributing immensely to football across administrators produced, footballers, clubs and the role of the fans and investors in ways that are easily unequalled” From iconic Captains of the national teams such as Kwasi Owusu “Power House", Kwasi Appiah “Mayele”, Alex Opoku who led Ghana to a first Fifa World Cup success (Black Starlets 1991) and Asamoah Gyan “Baby Jet”.

“And the top scorers in the history of Ghana football, the black stars, are all from this region: Asamoah Gyan and Kwasi Owusu."

The All-Star 2023 in Brong Ahafo will have other activities including a float on the principal streets of Bechem in the Ahafo region on the 20th of June, followed by the Sports Business Series (SBS), a conference on Football Business powered by the BAC Institute in Sunyani.

The Festival will undertake a CSR project in Techiman in the Bono East Region. The town’s popular TACO Park will be provided water supply to improve the pitch and widen access and use too many more footballers in the region.

A gala night will also be organized on 21st June in Sunyani to honour legends who have contributed significantly to the success of football in Brong Ahafo and Ghana since 1957.

On the 22nd of June, there will be a special durbar to welcome the All-Star players led by captain Andre Ayew by the president of the Bono traditional council, Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Nana Agyemang Badu II in the morning at the Abanpradease Palace in Dormaa Ahenkro.

The people of Brong Ahafo will be in for a treat later in the day on 22nd June when a select side of betPawa Premier League and Access Bank Division One League players from 16 Brong Ahafo clubs take on an All-Star side led by captain Andre Ayew and coached by international guest and former Chelsea and Ghana manager, Avram Grant in a competitive yet ceremonial game as the climax of the All-Star Festival. The All-Star game will be played at the Nana Agyemang Badu I (NAB I) Park in Dormaa Ahenkro.

Chairman of the Brong Ahafo Regional Football Association, Ralph Gyambrah, commended the BAC Group for accepting his invitation to hold the second edition of the All-Star Festival in the Bono regions.

“In this festival, we will be touching base with all our three regions. It is very significant. ‘’

A ten-member local organizing committee was officially inaugurated at the launch by Frank Nelson, a director of Accra Hearts of Oak.

The members include Ransford Antwi, Evelyn Nsiah Asare, Bismark Oppong, Precious Semevoh, Alexander Obeng, Alexander Ababio, Vida Yenube, Felix Obeng Fosu, Dickson Kyere-Duaand Amo Gyamfih.

The All-Star Festival is themed “the official off-season football gathering” that brings together the various stakeholders in the football ecosystem across local and foreign-based footballers, male and female, clubs, investors, fans and the general public.