The Minister of Youth and Sports Mustapha Ussif has talked extensively about progress on next year’s African Games that is due to be staged in Ghana in his press briefing.
Honourable Ussif addressed a number of issues ranging from settlement of outstanding salaries to former Black Stars head coaches and initiatives to boost sports development in Ghana. (Click highlighted text to read full story)
However, the upcoming multi sport competition slated to from March 8 to March 23 was the highlight moment in the Sports Minister’s briefing. Here are key pointers on the competition highlighted in his speech:
Accra 2023: African Games to Position Accra as a Sports Hub in West Africa
The Minister of Youth and Sports of Ghana, Hon. Mustapha Ussif says one of the key objectives for hosting the 2023 African Games is to strategically position Accra as a sports hub in the West African sub-region.
Taking his turn at Government’s “Meet the Press” series, Mustapha Ussif said the massive investment by the government in building infrastructure for various sports disciplines for the Games, will enrich Ghana’s sports infrastructure, and thus make Accra the sports centre of choice in the West Africa sub-region as far as modern facilities for multiple sports are concerned.
The minister provided updates on Ghana’s preparation towards hosting the 13th African Games, Accra 2023, and also highlighted the significance of the event in promoting sports and youth development in the country.
Hosting the 13th African Games, Accra 2023
Another objective of hosting the Games, Mustapha Ussif noted, is to use sports to achieve national and continental development goals.
“The event also aims to contribute to Ghana’s transformational agenda and the African Union Agenda 2063, positioning Accra as a Sports Hub in West Africa,” he said.
Provision of Sporting Infrastructure
The Minister discussed the ongoing development of sporting infrastructure for the 13th African Games, explaining the hybrid model which has been adopted to provide the required infrastructure at the University of Ghana Campus and Borteyman due to the delay in the planning process and project cost considerations.
Facilities being developed for the competition include a standard swimming pool, multi-purpose sports hall, tennis courts, athletic track, football training field, and more.
