The Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 2023 African Games, Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, has addressed the outcry of volunteers who participated in the event.
Tensions rose when volunteers clashed with police at the Games Village in Legon on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the volunteers, they were entitled to a promised financial package for their services. Over 1,000 individuals volunteered to support the organization of the continental event.
Following the conclusion of the Games, volunteers were asked to vacate their accommodations without receiving any financial compensation, sparking frustration among them.
Addressing the situation on Asempa FM‘s Ultimate Sports Show on Wednesday, Dr Ofosu-Asare clarified, “There was a miscommunication and misunderstanding. The concept of volunteerism was not properly understood. The official communication given to them did not mention any monetary compensation.”
He further explained, “I cannot entirely blame them because when they were asked to leave their accommodations, those facilities were privately owned. We are currently arranging to provide them with some financial support to return home.”
Regarding rumours of payments to external volunteers, Dr Ofosu-Asare debunked them, stating, “Contrary to speculations, we did not engage any external volunteers. All the volunteers were sourced locally.”
The 2023 African Games, which commenced on March 8 and lasted for 16 days, saw Ghana securing a total of 69 medals.
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