It’s possible for Africans to have quality sports facilities - OlympiAfrica Director

Executive Director of OlympiAfrica, Monsieur Alassane Diake from Senegal has given the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) Ben Nunoo Mensah much hope and assurance that it is possible for African countries to have sports facilities for different age groups.

Showing a delegation from Ghana round the OlympiAfrica facility in Kegue, Lome in Togo, he said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) believes in transparency and accountability, so if Ghana can meet these requirements, it would be easy to get the project at Amasaman, near Accra underway in the shortest possible time.

He noted that there are sports companies who can partner and support the construction of the sports fields, and they will supply the personnel and equipment at affordable cost.

He said most of the time, the international body looks at others benefiting, like the Lome project which supplies free water to a neighbouring village.

Ben Nunoo Mensah expressed that if the Amasaman facility comes up, it will host kid’s sports events and projects.

He said Ghanaians are good at sprints, football, boxing, martial arts, field and court disciplines like hockey, handball, basketball, volleyball and tennis, so all of these sports could have their standard facilities and equipment.

Philippe Thon, Director of the OlympiAfrica project in Togo promised to share ideas and plans as well as organize programs with Ghana.

Djobokou Kossi, the Technical Director said if the facility and equipment are maintained and managed well, they can last to 25 years.

The GOC delegation that toured the OlympiAfrica included Vice President Paul Atchoe, Executive Member Nana Mankattah, Director of Youth Programmes Emmanuel Olla Williams and Sammy Heywood Okine of the GOC Media Department.