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Report by Nana POKU
The Government of Ghana has revealed that the African Games billed to take place in Ghana will cost the nation a whopping 200 million US Dollars.
The minister disclosed this when he took his turn at ‘The Minister’s Briefing’ at the Information ministry in Accra yesterday.
Explaining the details, the Minister of Sports Hon Mustapha Ussif indicated that a lot infrastructural projects have been lined up to serve as venues for the games in March next year in Ghana.
According to him Cape Coast, Kumasi, Accra stadiums are currently experiencing face-lifts and rehabilitation is at different stages of completion.
There is also rapid expansion of Legon stadium. New swimming pools are also under construction to be used for the games.
He used the occasion to thank the University of Ghana for offering their stadium and Hostel for the games that is expecting host over 5000 athletes and officials.
All 52 African states are expected to attend. In addition to those undergoing rehabilitation and expansion, new tartan tracks are being built at Borteyman near Tema. The minister sought to denote the budget has been approved by Cabinet and president has accordingly agreed to the sum.
He bemoaned the fact that for several years now Ghana has not held these games in Ghana.
In the forthcoming Commonwealth games in August 2022, Ghana will increase its contingent from 78 to 120 athletes to increase the country’s chance of winning medals.
The minister took the opportunity to express his appreciation to the athletes and boxers who won medals in the Olympic games. He indicated said the government is spending that money because the president wants Ghanaians to participate in such activities in a grand style.
The minister called on corporate bodies to support the sports industry because government alone cannot handle the burden. He postulated that all over the world organizations throw in support to complement government efforts as sports have become very expensive
(The Daily Searchlight appears every day on the newsstands and is for sale 24 hours every day and all week on www.ghananewsstand.com. Visit www.ghananewsstand.com for a wide variety of newspapers published in Ghana and from across the world.)
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