The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Mustapha Ussif, has expressed satisfaction at the progress of work on facilities earmarked for the 2023 African Games in Accra.
He said contractors were working at a fast pace and was certain that the facilities would be ready for the Games scheduled for March, 2024.
Mr Ussif gave the assurance on Wednesday after conducting an inspection of the facilities at the University of Ghana (UG), Legon with officials of the Game’s Local Organising Committee (LOC), UG and other stakeholders.
The team began the inspection at the rugby park and headed to the games village that also houses the canteen, medical dome, kitchen, sanitation area, rest area, washrooms and others.
The team also inspected the warm-up park and the main Legon Sports Stadium which according to contractors was 70 per cent complete.
“We are on course and determined to complete the facilities to host the best African Games on the continent,” he stated after the inspection.
He said the hybrid approach to get facilities ready for the Games has been efficient.
At Borteyman where new facilities are being constructed, the Sports Minister said government was constructing a first class aquatic centre which would have a 10-lane pool for competition and an eight-lane warm up pool, a 1,000-sitter multipurpose sports hall, tennis courts , multipurpose dome and a field for athletics and training purpose as well as an administration block.
“In the long term, we intend to convert the place to a sports college for the development of sports in the country,” he added.
Also commenting, the Vice Chancellor of the UG, Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said as partners of the games, her outfit was impressed with the progress of work, adding that “if we keep up with this pace, by November we should get all the international certification needed to host the event.”
The Executive Chairman of the LOC, Dr Kweku Ofosu Asare, expressed appreciation to all the stakeholders for the efforts to ensure the completion of work on the facilities for the Games.
“There have been a tremendous improvement and we are looking forward to having the facility ready by December; have trials to test it before commencing with the Games,” he stated.
BY MICHAEL D. ABAYATEYE
