First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, says it is time to develop women’s football in the country, to the level of men’s football.

Speaking at the launch of the maiden edition of the First Lady’s Cup, she said the competition was the women’s version of the Presidential Cup, which will open a new era in women’s football in Ghana.

She said the competition was to recognise the importance of putting the spotlight on women’s football, adding that, female footballers had demonstrated enough quality to excel when given the needed support.

The First Lady’s Cup would be played between the top teams in the Southern and Northern zones at the Accra Sports Stadium on Friday, December 10, 2021.

Mrs Akufo-Addo said she was honored to launch a competition in her name, adding that, it would serve as a platform to promote women’s football.

According to her, women’s football had been confronted with challenges such as poor infrastructure, lack of equipment, transport, and inadequate human resource to manage activities and therefore called for it to be addressed.

Mrs Akufo-Addo explained that the project would be used as the launchpad to solicit support for the establishment of the first Women’s School Soccer Excellence in West Africa.

“The school would train women coaches and other technical staff to upgrade the capacity of women in the football industry, to create a solid foundation for the development of women’s football in Ghana.

“I’m excited that the Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Education are pursuing a school program to develop the girl child football, talent in-line with FIFA’s books for boots project.

“This would also need the support of all of us especially corporate Ghana,” she added.

She said there was the need to pay attention to steps that would allow players to find a balance between their roles as footballers and as women adding that, women in football should not become a liability after retiring from active football but rather to serve as an inspiration for younger generations.