Anglogold Ashanti wants to destroy Ashgold — Supporters Chairman

Mr Mark Mensah, National Chairman of Ashgold Supporters Union, is worried that the once football pride of Obuasi, Ashgold, are gradually sliding into extinction due to a deliberate policy by current owners, Anglogold Ashanti to starve the club of the needed funds.

Mr Mensah revealed that for the past two seasons, the company had failed to provide funds for signing new players and also renewing the contracts of players whose deals had expired.

“Indeed, the club stands the danger of losing some of it’s experienced players including the likes of Lawrence Lartey.
When this happens then we will all lose the club we love to see in the elite bracket”, he feared.

Mr Mensah, also known as Oti Akenteng, revealed that some Ghanaians in the management of Anglogold Ashanti were behind a plot to impoverished the club to facilitate its demise.

“But we won’t sit and watch them. Once Anglogold is operating here on our soil, we won’t allow it to shirk its responsibilities towards Ashgold.”

He said the company had gradually reduced its monthly sponsorship of $50,000 to $25,000 and according to him, even that had not been released as Anglogold had used it to defray the medical bills of players, which hitherto was free.

The chairman of the supporters group lamented that currently the club’s administration was struggling to pay salaries and bonuses of the players which were outstanding, a situation that was also impacting on the performance of the team in the premier league, which had seen the team’s over 11-point lead cut to three.