With Ghana poised to host the 13th African games from March 8 till March 23 and as part of the event, government in collaboration with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) launched a 100-day countdown initiative at the University of Ghana yesterday in anticipation of the games.
The 13th edition of the African Games was initially expected to be hosted by Ghana in August 2023 but was postponed to March 2024 due to disputes between the African Union (AU), the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC) over marketing rights.
The African games which begun in 1965 in Brazzaville, Congo, has been a quadrennial tournament held across 9 African nations over the years past, Ghana making its debut host. The West African nation is in pole position to ensure the smooth running of one of Africa’s biggest sporting events. The games will be held across two main venues; the University of Ghana and Bortey man sports complex.
A total of 23 sporting disciplines are expected to feature in the games including athletics, badminton, 3×3 basketball, boxing, canoeing, cycling, football, handball, swimming, table tennis, volleyball, cricket, arm wrestling, squash, weightlifting, judo, taekwondo, field hockey, boxing and beach volleyball. Also featuring at the games as demonstration sports would be e-sports, mixed martial arts, teqball and pickleball.
At the official launch of the program, the Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia declared the official launching of the program at the University of Ghana in light with the progress and developments made with regards to infrastructure; he also put to bed claims of Ghana’s inadequacy in hosting Africa’s biggest sporting showpiece.
“The next 100 days are crucial for all of us…[it] marks a point of no return for the country. I wish to pledge the full commitment of government on behalf of the people to ensure that all visitors to the country are secure, enjoy the best hospitality Ghana has to offer and experience the greatest African games. Your excellency, honorable ministers, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, on this note I have the singular honor and privilege to declare the 100-day countdown to the 13th African games, Accra 2023 duly launched,” he said.
The launching of the 100-day countdown by the Vice President of Ghana in collaboration with the LOC further adds gloss to the outright denial of speculations surrounding the uncertainty of the program’s indefinite suspension, which was addressed earlier last week by the executive chairman of the LOC, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare in a press statement.
Also in attendance at the event was the minister for youth and sports, Hon. Mustapha Yussif who called on the support from Ghanaians ahead of the games.
“We are fully prepared to host the entire African continent here in March 2024. I just want to use this opportunity to appeal to everyone to rally behind these games so that we can host the entire African continent in Ghana this coming March,” he said.
The trooping in of Africa’s participating elite countries into the shores of the nation will be a prospect that Ghana will be rubbing its fingers at, one the nation will hope augurs well for the future of the competition. Ghana hopes to better the underwhelming performance in the last edition in Rabat which saw the nation win 2 gold medals, 2 silver and 9 bronze medals with a total tally of 13 medals; Ghana placed in 15th position on the medal rankings, which was in vast contrast to eventual winners Egypt who finished first in the last edition with 273 total medals of which 102 were gold, 98 silver and 73 bronze.
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Story by: Andrews Sefa Bamfo | univers.ug.edu.gh
