President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will soon unveil the mascot and logo for the 2023 African Games (AU) to be hosted in Ghana.
This, according to the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the Games, Dr. Kweku Ofosu Asare follows the approval of a creative identity manual by the African Union (AU) last week.
“We have received the green light to go ahead with marketing and branding of the Games and the first step would be to have our mascot, logo, and website launched by the President for the Games,” he said.
Following the launch would see the full take-off of branding activities with the springing billboards and other activities related to the event.
Commenting on preparation so far, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the LOC, Mr. Reks Brobbey said the launch would open the doors to the corporate sector which would be expected to come on board.
He cautioned that the LOC would be very strict with the process in collaboration with the police to protect rightful owners of the trademark to avoid duplications.
“We would create a task force which would aid the corporate sector to be profitable in their dealings with us. The rights would be given to one person and we would ensure that people do not reproduce the paraphernalia to enable the rightful owner to make gains,” he stressed.
According to Mr. Brobbey, the task force would go around every corner of the country and arrest people who use the logo without permission, and goods that would come into the country without the trademark would be seized.
On infrastructure, he said contractors were on site at the Legon Sports Stadium and Borteyman, two main venues for the event, adding that, “work was in progress for the Games.”
“Government has signed an agreement with three contractors working on the facilities with a contractor having about US$145m to construct all the required facilities for the Games,” he said.
The contractors, he said have agreed to make the facilities ready at least three months before the Games in August 2023.
He said, the Games would be used as a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics and therefore would ensure the facilities were of international or certified standards.
Contractors, he said, we’re working with international federations to ensure the facilities met the appropriate standards.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
