Queen's baton arrives in Ghana

Accra, April 26, GNA - The Queens Baton Relay, which is to herald the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia next year, has arrived in Ghana.

The Queens Baton Relay is a traditional event that symbolises the traditional curtain raiser to the Commonwealth Games, with the baton passing through all the 71 Commonwealth Nations before the start of the Games.

The baton according to the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) would be in the country for the next 72 hours.

Whilst in Ghana, the baton relay, which arrived from Sierra Leone on April 25, will travel through some communities in Accra and Kyebi respectively.

This is the second time Ghana is hosting the relay, after hosting it last year in Accra and Kumasi.

Briefing the media at a Press Conference in Accra, Mr Albert Tettey, Secretary of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) said the Queens Baton is the world's longest inclusive relay that unites the communities of the Commonwealth by joining millions of people in celebrations towards the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Mr Tettey noted that a message from the Queen, which accompanied the Baton would be read at the opening ceremony.

Mr Benson Tongo Baba, Chairman of the GOC, Albert Agbozo, Acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), Sheik Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister and the Okyenhene Amoatia Ofori Panyin are expected to grace the occasion.

The Secretary said Keep Fit Clubs, school pupils and other sports celebrities would join in the activities of the Relay, which has Accra hosting it tomorrow and Kyebi on Thursday.

The event was launched on March 1 this year at the Buckingham Palace, London, which served as the starting point and it would take 12 months and a day to go through all the 71 member countries before arriving in the Melbourne Stadium on March 14 for the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

The relay crew would depart from Accra to Nigeria on April 28 for the next leg of the event.