Accra, Oct. 4, GNA – The Sports Writers’ Association of Ghana (SWAG) has assured the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 13th African Games to be staged in Ghana, its massive support to host a successful event.
Mr. Kwabena Yeboah, the President of SWAG, made this known during an interactive session between members of SWAG and the LOC at the Media Center of the Accra Sports Stadium.
He also called on the LOC to assist the media in building their capacity to ensure credible reportage and the coverage of the Games.
The Chairman of the LOC, Dr. Kwaku Ofosu Asare, reassured the government’s commitment to making sure the Games is successfully held and appealed to the media to shun away from negative reportage since they were working around the clock for the Games to be held.
He mentioned that the LOC would soon be embarking on a regional sensitization tour to whip up the interest of Ghanaians and also promote the Games to get the needed support from the citizens.
Mr. Ofosu Asare disclosed that the LOC would launch the Games’ logo and mascot which would spearhead publicity and promotional activities surrounding the quadrennial competition.
The Chief Operating Officer for the LOC, Dr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, briefed the media on activities and events that have transpired since Ghana won the bid to host the Games in 2018.
He explained that there was little to be done because the protocol agreement for the Games had not been signed and unfortunately the global pandemic also had a toll on their activities which delayed most of their planned works.
However, he assured that the LOC and the Government were poised to make the Games successfully held and be counted among the countries that had hosted the Games in grand style.
Dr. Owusu Ansah explained that Ghana had made a few changes in the Games to suit the traditional and cultural values of the country and since they are hoping to make the event an African qualifier for the next Olympic Games in Paris, France 2024, every facility that would be put up would be of the accepted Olympic Standard.
If hosted, Ghana would join the likes of Congo Brazzaville, Mali, Nigeria, Algeria, Kenya, Egypt, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique and Morocco as countries on the continent that has hosted the Africa Games which was previously known as the All African Game.
GNA