The Local Organizing Committee of Ghana 2008 has conferred with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) with the aim of finding common grounds to impact on the successful staging of CAN 2008. The two bodies have agreed in principle “to throw everything into the preparation towards the January 20 – February 10, 2008 competition” envisaged to be the best ever in the history of the championship. Magnus Rex Danquah, Chief Operating Officer of the LOC outlined the legacy the tourney will offer Ghanaians and challenged the assembly to channel their commitment towards delivering an unblemished championship. He emphasized the need to make issues like sanitation, beautification of the metropolis, and orderliness, among others the priority of the assembly in the months leading to the biennial fiesta. “You don’t expect to have one million visitors here only for football. There must be other entertainments and a tourism twist that should interest them and make their stay worthwhile,” he said. Mr Danquah was also particular about issues like public health measures and the availability of access roads and called for the provision of items like city maps and directional signs among others to be made readily available for the visitors. He tasked the Assembly to galvanize support for the competition, especially for the four teams that will be based in Kumasi. “The four teams that will be based in Kumasi will be here as your guests and the need to make them feel at home must inform every decision you will take from now,” he pointed out. Mr Danquah disclosed that Thursday, September 20 is the date for the special jamboree, which will afford all four venues the opportunity to showcase their preparedness to the 16 teams, including Ghana, as well as the global audience, and emphasized the need to fine-tune the KMA’s presentation for the event well ahead of the programme. On merchandizing, he urged the assemblies to counsel those in the business industry to secure authorization from the LOC to enable them to sell the tournament related paraphernalia before, during and after the three - week event that laces Africa’s finest 16 participating nations. Rex Danquah said failure to heed to the instruction on authorization will lead to prosecution at the law courts. Mrs. Patricia Appiagyei, Metropolitan Chief Executive of the Kumasi Assembly embraced the challenge and pledged the assembly’s commitment towards exceeding expectation for the tourney. She said the KMA will collaborate with the LOC in their quest to deliver a successful competition. Source: GNA