Govt Is Committed To Hosting Best-Ever African Games – Minister
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has stated that the government is committed to hosting the best-ever event in the history of the African Games.
According to Mr Ussif the government was working around the clock to ensure that all facilities that would be used during the multi-sport event were ready in time for the games.
“What I want to make clear is that government is committed to hosting the All Africa Games in 2023 and we are working around the clock to ensure that we have the best African Games in the history of Africa,” Mr Ussif said when he welcomed some members of a nine-member AAG Technical Committee to his office last Saturday.
“His Excellency the President (Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo) is totally committed and we are putting in place all the needed infrastructure to ensure that the teams that will come from all the 54 African countries and the various sporting disciplines that we are going to stage during the competition will have the necessary facilities and the platform to allow the competition to come on”.
The Technical Committee is in the country to, among others, assess Ghana’s readiness to host the games, as well as induct and orient members of the Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare-led Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2023 AAG.
The Minister also disclosed that during their week-long stay in the country, the Technical Committee will pay a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday.
“We know you will be visiting some of the facilities so we pray for travelling mercies. His Excellency, the President, knows that you have arrived and on Wednesday I will be leading you to the Presidency and he’s expecting you after all your induction courses and visitations.”
The 13th edition of the AAG is expected to be held in three cities: Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast on yet to be confirmed dates.
AAG Technical Committee
The delegation of the 2023 AAG Technical Committee that called on the Minister was led by its Chairperson, Mr Stanley Mutoya, who assured the Minister that there was no doubt about Ghana’s capacity to host the Games.
He said the Committee would in the course of the week assess Ghana’s “state of capacity to host the games” with regard to the current state of facilities and infrastructure.
“We want to have an interface with our colleagues on the LOC and close ranks by way of induction and orientation so that from now on all systems would go on so that we work smoothly on behalf of member countries to deliver the Games.
He said the visit will also send a signal to the entire world that the Games will be hosted by Ghana after the country won the hosting rights in October 2018.
Other members of the Technical Committee who were present at the meeting included: Mr Selmi Sid Ahmed (Vice-Chairperson), Mr Michel Tehoya (Member), Mrs Kady Kanoute Tounkara (Member), Mr Decius Chipande and Ms Lina Paul Kessy.
LOC
In his opening remarks, Dr Ofosu-Asare said he was thrilled that the country would be hosting the AAG for the first time in its history.
He also expressed gratitude to the Minister and the media for their continuous support of the work of the LOC.
He also disclosed that although he was meeting some members of the Technical Committee for the first time in person, the LOC had engaged with them through virtual meetings in the past.
Other members of the LOC who were present at the meeting were; Dr Beatrice Dwumfour Williams (Clinical Psychologist and University Lecturer and a Board Member of the National Sports Authority) and Ms Joyce Datsa (Sports Administrator).