Preparation towards 2023 All African games must start now - Sports Minister charges GOC

Minister for Youth and Sports Honourable Mustapha Ussif has urged the Ghana Olympics Committee (GOC) and other sports federations in the country to start preparing for the 2023 as it marks a "crucial" national project for the country.

He wants the federations to get to the grassroots now and find more talents and prepare them for the task ahead.

Addressing the General Assembly of the GOC on Monday, moments before the Committees election, Hon Ussif said the GOC and the various federations represent great allies to the Government.

"Whatever we do as government, GOC, Associations or Federations, the ultimate objective for all of us is to develop our sports and represent our dear country well at international competitions, especially the Olympics, Commonwealth and African Games," he said.

"A successful Africa Games in 2023, also means our athletes in the various sporting disciplines doing very well on home soil. That is why preparation towards achieving that should start now, by going back to the grassroots, to find more talents and prepare them for the task ahead.

"The 2023 Africa Games offers our country a unique opportunity to revitalize all aspects of our sports, including development, promotion and active organisation of competitions, especially at the lower levels to unearth more talents."

Ghana will host the 13th edition of the African Games on dates yet to be confirmed.

However Government has promised to build a new 50,000-capacity stadium none of the sports stadia in Ghana meets the required standard for continental Games.

According to the Minister he will soon meet with the various stakeholders to "map out the best way forward".

"There are other key areas of our sports development, such as funding and infrastructure maintenance, that in the coming few days, I will be engaging stakeholders to share our plans and map out the best way forward," he said.

"We can move Ghana sports forward and achieve a lot by coming together and collaborating effectively as stakeholders."

The GOC on Monday went to the polls to elect new executives for another four year mandate, which incumbent president Ben Nunoo Mensah emerged victorious.

Ben Nunoo Mensah, who is the former President of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation, polled 35 votes to beat former GOC general secretary Akpokavie who amassed 28 votes.

Mensah was sworn in today for a second four-year term as President in Accra at the GOC's Elective Congress and will now oversee the country's preparations for the 2023 African Games, which the Government says is "even more determined for greater collaboration with the GOC and other Federations, to ensure the successful realisation of the objectives mentioned earlier".