Youth and Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif, has lauded the country’s successful organization of the ongoing African Games, citing international recognition for their efforts.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday evening at the Legon Stadium, he highlighted the praise received from various international officials engaged in the event.
Ussif emphasized the need to capitalize on the positive feedback to position Ghana as a premier sports destination.
“Every international official that we have engaged is applauding us for hosting spectacular games so far. So let’s all embrace and position Ghana as a sports destination,” he stated.
Encouraging a focus on the positives, Ussif urged the media to highlight the numerous achievements of the games. “There are a lot of positives that we can talk about. Let’s focus on them,” he concluded.
Ghana’s performance in the games has seen notable success, with the country securing four medals thus far.
On Sunday, Winnifred Ntumi clinched a gold and two silver medals in weightlifting, while Abeiku Jackson secured a silver in swimming. This performance propelled Ghana into the top 10 in the medal table after seven days of competition.
However, amidst the successes, the games have faced challenges. Athletes have reported logistical issues, with badminton player Leslie Addo revealing transportation woes, including being transported to the competition in the bucket of a pick-up truck.
Additionally, a cyclist shared difficulties with equipment, recounting not receiving new gear after his bicycle broke down minutes into a race.
Despite these challenges, Ghana has invested significantly in infrastructure for hosting the games, with $195 million allocated for infrastructure and an additional $47 million for operational costs during the competition, which spans from March 8 to March 23, 2024.
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