By Ken Sackey/Stephen Asante
Borteyman (G/A), Feb. 13, GNA – President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is confident Ghana will deliver a memorable African Games, as the country wraps up preparations for the continent’s biggest sporting event.
“There is a time for everything. And, this is our time,” he said.
Barely a month to the 13th African Games, the President Tuesday inaugurated the Borteyman Sports Complex, a state-of-the-art edifice meant to stage badminton, basketball, boxing, table tennis and weightlifting competitions.
Other sporting facilities include handball, judo, karate, taekwondo and volleyball, a tennis Centre with five courts, a six-lane warm-up athletics track, and a FIFA-standard football training field.
A new multipurpose sports hall, hostel facilities and an Olympic-size swimming pool are also ready for use.
President Nana Akufo-Addo said the country was expecting some 5,000 elite athletes, 3,000 officials, as well as thousands of sporting fans and visitors for the Games, slated for March 8 to 23, this year.
An estimated global audience of more than one billion people will be following the Games, watching through traditional and social media.
“We remain resolute. Today, our country can be proud of the massive sporting infrastructure we have put in place for the Games, which will be a huge legacy for the country,” the President noted.
He said Ghana was honoured to be hosting the rest of the continent and gave the assurance that the safety of athletes, fans and visitors was secured.
“The people and Government of Ghana are honoured and grateful to the African Union, for the opportunity to host the rest of Africa for the first time in our history,” he remarked.
Mr Mustapha Ussif, Minister of Youth and Sports, said the country would benefit immensely from the Games, especially in consolidating sporting infrastructure.
Some 49 African countries have so far confirmed their participation in the Games.
The Technical Committee for the 13th African Games, on a recent tour of the sporting facilities, said it was satisfied with the comprehensive work done on the projects.
It lauded the Government of Ghana and Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the effective monitoring and supervision of the projects.
In an interview with GNA Sports, on the sidelines of the programme, the LOC confirmed that more than 20 competitive sporting events have been lined up for the Games.
The venues include the Borteyman Sports Complex, Cape Coast Stadium, Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium, and Legon Stadium.
GNA