President Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, February 13 2024, commissioned the multipurpose Borteyman Sports complex to climax preparations by Ghana to host her first ever All Africa Games showpiece since independence.
The event will also herald the 25-day countdown to the holding of Africa’s biggest multi-disciplinary sporting event at the Borteyman Sports Facilities and the newly constructed facilities at the University of Ghana.
The masterstroke decision leading to the adoption of the hybrid method, according to the President, has proven to be a wise one, as facilities, both at the University of Ghana and in Borteyman, are ready for the hosting of the 13th edition of the Games.
With preparations largely characterised by difficulties and uncertainties, following the unexpected effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s infrastructural development plans and general preparations, Ghana has demonstrated commitment and resilience.
“When all hope appeared lost, we came up with a brilliant idea of adopting a hybrid approach to hosting the Games, that is, using facilities at the University of Ghana, which were under construction, as well as selected facilities we could develop on time, here in Borteyman,” President Akufo-Addo said at the brief yet resplendent commissioning ceremony.
In the face of calls and increased pressure by some pessimists, for Ghana to withdraw from hosting the tournament, the President told the gathering that, “Ghana remained resolute and 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 games will see some five thousand elite athletes, three thousand experienced officials and thousands of fans in the country, in addition to an estimated global audience of 2.2 billion people watching through traditional and social media.
Despite Ghana being a founding member of the African Games, under the leadership of first leader Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana has never hosted the event in her fifty-seven years of existence.
Responding President Akufo-Addo in response to this, said, “there is a time for everything, and this is our time. We are now ready and capable of organising and hosting the rest of the continent, here in Ghana. The people and Government Ghana are honoured and grateful to the Africa Union for the opportunity to host the rest of Africa for the first time in our history.
He stated that, “the construction of these magnificent, multi-purpose facilities at Borteyman and the University of Ghana for the African Games, clearly demonstrate the Akufo-Addo Government’s commitment to the development of much-needed sports infrastructure in Ghana.”
“Over the last seven years, my government has renovated the Accra Sports Stadium, Cape Coast Sports Stadium and the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. In addition to this, Government has built ten sports stadia in the ten original regions of our country. Six of these stadia, namely Wa in Upper West, Dunkwa on Offin in Central, Axim in Western, Dormaa Ahenkro in Bono, Ho in Volta and Koforidua in Eastern, are ready, with the Koforidua Sports Stadium having been commissioned by me. The remaining four are expected to be completed this year.”
With only three public Astro turfs constructed across the country before January 2017, he disclosed that, government has invested massively in the provision of 150 astro turf pitches for various communities across the country.
Whilst offering the assurance of the best arrangements for planned events and a taste of the famed Ghanaian hospitality, he said, “Government, together with the African Union, the Association of National Olympic Committee of Africa (ANOCA) and the Association of Africa Sports Confederations (AASC) and other partners, will do everything possible to make our visitors welcome,” and admonished “the Minister for Youth and Sports, staff of the Ministry and the Local Organizing Committee to go all out and organise the best African Games in history.”
