Ghana has built world-class sports facilities, which will make it possible for the country to host the African Games and leave a huge infrastructure legacy to boos sports development.
Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who said this at the commissioning of the ultra-modern University of Ghana Sports Stadium, added that the facility came two weeks after President Akufo-Addo commissioned the Borteyman Sports Complex, which comprises multiple sports facilities for the African Games.
Vice President Bawumia highlighted the government’s unwavering commitment to hosting the Games and added that the recent commissioning of sports facilities indicates the country’s readiness to welcome the rest of Africa.
“At the time we won the bid to host the African Games, Ghana had inadequate multi-sports infrastructure and this placed enormous responsibility on us to build more infrastructure to make the dream of hosting our first-ever African Game possible.”
“Some Ghanaians wrote Ghana off and said Ghana couldn’t host the African Games due to the time left. But we were determined and we persevered,” Dr. Bawumia said.
Dr Bawumia said hosting the African Games for the first time is the realisation of an age-old national dream, which has significantly boosted the sports infrastructure needs of the country.
For instance, the Borteyman Complex has world-class multi-purpose domes for indoor games and a standard aquatic centre with a warm-up pool.
Also, the University of Ghana Sports Complex has a ten thousand-capacity stadium with a modern Mundo track for athletics competitions, a standard warm-up athletics track, as well as a modern Rugby Stadium.
Vice President Bawumia expressed delight at the completion, saying it is a befitting legacy for the University of Ghana, which is celebrating its 75th Anniversary.
“As the University of Ghana celebrates its landmark 75th Anniversary, there could not have been a more fitting monument for the Anniversary. This has come at the right time to host the African Games and as a befitting legacy to the University and its community.”
The 13th African Games kicks off in Accra from March 8 to March 23, 2024, with over 5000 athletes from African countries competing in nearly 30 sports disciplines.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD
