The President and Board Chairman of Ghana Rugby, Mr. Herbert Mensah, has congratulated the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation on its return to international competition following the lifting of the suspension on the Federation by Rugby Africa.ngratule.

Mensah, was quoted in a news report distributed by Africa Press Organisation (APO) Group in a letter sent to the President of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF), Mr Kelechukwu Mbagwu, as recalling the long history of the two federations in building the game in the West African sub-region and assuring of Ghana Rugby Federation’s readiness to work with the NRFF to develop the game.

Mensah enthused: “I would like to congratulate you personally and on behalf of Ghana Rugby on the lifting of the suspension and we welcome the NRFF back to participating in international tournaments and matches.

“Ghana Rugby and the NRFF have a long history of building the Game in the sub-region, and we are excited to join hands with you and the NRFF to pick up on that history and positively move forward to continue building character in West Africa, in Africa and the greater world of Rugby.

May your return to the international Rugby scene write a story of great achievements that will bring joy to the larger Rugby Family”, he added.

The Guardian newspapers had today reported the news of the lifting of the ban on NRFF by Rugby Africa, the continental body is yet to issue any statement on the issue

The NRFF President was quoted as saying that he was happy “to see that Nigeria is back to the international scene. On assuming office as the president of (NRFF), I stated that it would not take too long for Nigeria to be back in the international scene. The journey had not been easy, but I thank God Rugby Afrique understood the need to develop rugby in Nigeria by lifting the ban.

“We are grateful. This recent development would make the NRFF redouble its efforts and keep working hard to reposition the national rugby team (The Black Stallions), the female team, Nigerian domestic clubs and grassroots development programmes”, Mbagwu enthused.

World Rugby’s member section states that the NRFF was founded in 1998, five years before Ghana Rugby, and affiliated to World Rugby in 2001.

Nigeria was suspended from international activities following a leadership crisis that trailed the 2017election into the board of the federation.

The suspension stopped Nigeria from featuring in some international engagements since last year. The country featured last at the 2016 Africa Cup – Division 1C when it defeated Mauritius 31 to 12 but was beaten by Morocco 53 to 10.