Ghana Targets 2023 African Games

Ghana has expressed strong desire to host the rest of the continent for the 2023 13th African Games.

A letter sighted by this writer addressed to the Youth and Sports Minister and signed by Ms Lina Paul Kessy, Interim Head, African Union Sports Council (AUSC) indicated that a high powered AUSC delegation will be visiting Ghana from June 7 to 8.

The AUSC mission to Accra is aimed at holding relevant services and working sessions with the prospective host country; that will enable the former lay down the groundwork for closer cooperation and make an objective assessment of the major steps towards the preparations of the 2013 African Games.

According to the letter, the mission will include experts from African Union Commission (1), African Union Sports Council (2), Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (1) and Associations of African Sports Confederations (1).

The AUSC head expressed her outfit; mandated as the technical body of the African Union Commission in matters pertaining to sports, reiterated its readiness to work with Ghana from now to ensure smooth preparations and resounding success of the Games.

The letter commended Ghana for the constant commitment and contribution toward the promotion and development of African Sports and its willingness to give the African youth an excellent opportunity to celebrate with splendor the 60th anniversary of the prestigious competition, of which Ghana is a founding member since its maiden edition hosted by the Republic of Congo in 1965 in Brazzaville.

Youth and Sports PRO, Elvis Agyei-Baah has confirmed the letter hitting the Minister’s desk and hinted about plans that his outfit has taken should it receive Cabinet’s approval.

Should Ghana get the nod, it will serve as an opportunity to take its sporting infrastructure a notch higher. Besides that, it will boost tourism as well as create more employment opportunity for the people of Ghana.

Already, the Youth and Sports Ministry has embarked on a nationwide sod-cutting for the construction of multipurpose sports complexes.