No kits, no money. But officials resist All Africa Games withdrawal

Should Ghana just withdraw from the upcoming All Africa Games?

With 36 days to go to the start, team Ghana still does not have kits for their respective disciplines.

This anomaly is another in a long line contributing to what has been a shambolic preparation by the country. But one man believes despite the challenges, athletes must still be encouraged to do their best.

“For the sake of the participants who have trained for almost a year, the country should give them the opportunity to go and compete.”

The President of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation, Ben Nunoo-Mensah has noted that the various sporting federations have come very far with their training regimes and a withdrawal will be severely demoralizing.

He argued: “If you have not received money from the ministry for four years and one day you receive a call to go for money from the Sports Authority, I think it is a good start.”

Nunoo-Mensah confirms that his federation have been given GhS 6,000 for preps and though it isn't enough to provide a place for camping, they can only be content.

But he had a warning, too.
"Should Ghana do well in any of the disciplines, any credit given should go to the athletes who trained even though there were a lot of challenges.”

Real fears
To this end, the Weightlifting Federation boss has expressed fears that Ghana may suffer a repeat of the Maputo debacle of four years ago.

“As at now the kit and monies from the ministry which has not been released made me make that statement,” he told Asempa FM in that same interview.

The 2011 Maputo Games were characterized by incompetence at almost every administrative level as the post-events committee set up to investigate the fiasco found. "The committee believes that given the extent of management incompetence, institutionalised corruption and organisational rot that is going on at the National Sports Council, it is only a 'roots and branches' shake up of the entire set-up that will rid the organizsation of these ills."

Four years on, an encore looms.
According to Nunoo-Mensah, the absence of basic needs Games participants must have like their kits and monies could be a big problem.

Even though there've been assurances by sports minister Mustapha Ahmed, the contingent smell danger ahead because the days are drawing closer and the Ghana team still are very unprepared.

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Story by Ghana/Asempa Sports/Baaba Bentuma Brew