Vice President John Dramani Mahama has arrived home with the first batch of Ghanaian soccer fans from South Africa. About 500 of the fans who were sponsored by the government and some philanthropists have returned after cheering on the Black Stars to qualify for the next stage of the FIFA World Cup. It is not clear whether the remaining fans numbering about one thousand will all return before Ghana takes on the US on Saturday. Some of the fans who shared their experiences with Joy News said the journey was worthwhile. “We are very thankful to God that at the end of the day our presence over there has been very fruitful, that we’ve qualified to the next stage,” a fan told the media. Meanwhile Vice President John Mahama has dismissed criticisms that the government’s decision to fly more than 1,000 soccer fans to the World Cup was misplaced. Although he maintains that the presence of the fans boosted the morale of the national team, he also conceded that organisation of the trip was not the best. “I wouldn’t call it a waste of money; sports in today’s world is a very important sector of human development. Indeed we have (about) 190 countries in this world and only 32 qualified. Opportunities like that come once for some countries in a lifetime. For us it comes once every four years if we continue to qualify successively,” he said. “I think that people who get the advantage to make this trip should remember that the country sacrificed to get them there and so they should comport themselves at all times,” the vice president said. In a related development President Mills has left Accra to hold talks with the South African government on matters relating to the upcoming AU summit in Kampala, Uganda. While there, the president is expected to watch the Black Stars match against the US on Saturday. Source: Joy News/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana