Ghana Football Association (GFA) President Kurt Okraku has switched on the first set of ultra-modern floodlights installed at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence with the improvement funded by the FIFA Forward Programme. President Okraku flipped the switch that bathed the centre's artificial pitch in light in Prampram, Ghana, marking the completion of a project underpinned by FIFA Forward, which provides funds for football development across FIFA's 211 Member Associations. "The installation of this first set of floodlights means that training programmes at the Centre can be held both during the day and at night," said Mr Okraku at the ceremony, which was followed by a training session under the floodlights for some of Ghana's U-17 national team players. "Our players in camp can train at night and refereeing and coaching training programmes can also extend into the evening. I am indeed very happy that this dream to enhance our facility at Prampram is gradually being realised."

FIFA Director Member Associations Africa Gelson Fernandes added: “FIFA’s willingness to enable the Ghanaian football association and the country’s young people to play the beautiful game – even after nightfall – will further help the various teams to develop. It is the first step of the project to modernise the national technical centre to make it a benchmark in the region. Football development is a pillar of FIFA’s strategic objectives and we are on the right track.” Work to upgrade the centre, constructed with FIFA support and handed over to the GFA in 2008, will continue. The GFA President said that construction work on a 40-bed accommodation facility to house national teams is well advanced while the installation of an additional artificial playing surface is also close to completion. "It is the vision of my good self and the Executive Council to develop the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence into a facility worthy of the footballing talent and history of Ghana. These incremental developments shall ultimately get us to the desired level of excellence," President Okraku concluded.