As part of efforts to establish a mutually beneficial partnership with the media, the Local Organizing Committee for the 13th African Games, on Thursday, 25th March, 2021 had an interaction with a cross-section of the media in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
The nine-member team, led by its Executive Chairman, Dr Kwaku Ofosu Asare stressed the need for a strong media support and cooperation towards realizing the national vision of successfully hosting and organizing the African Games in 2023.
The synergy created between the LOC and the media is expected to help build a strong brand that will inure to the benefit of all stakeholders. “As major stakeholders, you are duty bound to protect the brand and see this as a national project,” Dr Ofosu Asare told the press.
The LOC emphasized its core mandate of successfully hosting and organizing the African Games, as well as, transforming the
infrastructure built for the Games into a University of Sport for Development, which will be a Legacy Project.
The media sought clarification on diverse issues bordering on time-lines for the construction of the 50,000-seater Olympic-sized stadium, availability of funds for a successful hosting, branding and publicity, among others during the interaction.
Ghana will host the Games in two cites - the national capital, Accra and the second largest city in the country, Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of the country.
The Chief Operating Officer of the LOC, Dr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, disclosed that competitive and training swimming pools, as well as, a Multipurpose Sports Hall will be built in Kumasi to host some of the indoor games during the 2023 African Games.
A member of the LOC, Miss Eva Okyere, reiterated the need for the media to treat the 2023 African Games as a national project without any political colouration, even as they go about their professional duties of keeping the LOC on its toes.
The media unanimously, pledged support for the LOC and urged them to expedite action on the construction of the Stadium and allied facilities for the Games.