$150m stadium opened

-President optimistic of a memorable All African Games

By Daniel NONOR, Accra

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is optimistic that Ghana will deliver a memorable performance at the African Games which begins from 8-23 march 2014. 

Commissioning the $150 million multi-purpose sports complex in Accra this morning , noted that in spite of the that devastating effect of the COVID- 19 pandemic on the infrastructure development of the country , government remained resilient by adopting innovative  models to ensure Ghana was ready to host the biggest sports festival on the continent .

The Borteyman Sports Complex is a multi-purpose sports facility that has the capacity to host various sporting events and activities, such as football, athletics,   badminton, basketball, boxing, and table tennis and weightlifting competitions.

Other sporting facilities cover handball, judo, karate, taekwondo and volleyball, tennis centre with five courts, a six-lane warm-up athletics track, and a FIFA-standard football training field.

A new multipurpose sports hall, hostel facilities and an Olympic-size swimming pool are also ready for use.

In its 57 years of existence, this is the first time that Ghana is hosting the games, despite Ghana being, under the leadership of our first leader, Kwame Nkrumah, a founding member of the African Games.

President Nana Addo speaking at the commissioning in Accra yesterday noted that in spite of the devastating effect of the COVID- 19 pandemic on the infrastructure development of the country , government remained resilient by adopting innovative  models to ensure Ghana was ready to host the  African games .

President Nana Akufo-Addo said the country was expecting some 5, 000 elite athletes, 3, 000 officials, as well as thousands of sporting fans and visitors for the Games, slated for March 8 to 23, this year.

An estimated global audience of more than one billion people, will be following the Games, watching through traditional and social media.

The President who expressed satisfaction at the level of preparation was confident that the country was indeed ready to play host to the biggest sports festival on the continent.

“We are ready and capable of organizing and hosting the rest of the continent here in Ghana.“

The president noted further that the construction of the ultramodern facilities demonstrates his government’s commitment to increase sports infrastructure in the country.

 He noted that over the last seven years, his government has renovate the Ohene Gyan Sports stadium, the Cape coast sports stadium and the Baba yara sports stadium in Kumasi.

Additionally, he said government is at various stages in building ten sports stadia in ten regions of the country adding the six of the ten are all ready for use. The remaining four are expected to complete next year.

“At the community level, government has invested massively in the provision of astro turfs in various communities across the country thus far government has built some 150 Astro turf pitches across the country”

The President assures that, government would collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure the best arrangements for planned events.

“I admonish the minister for youth and sports, staff of the ministry and local organizing committee to go all out and organize the best African games in history”, he noted

Mr Mustapha Ussif, Minister of Youth and Sports, said the country would benefit immensely from the Games, especially in the area of consolidating sporting infrastructure.

 He emphasised that the games serve as a catalyst for progress, growth and development adding that the construction of the state of the art facilities in the country not only provide the platform for athlete excellence but also leaves a legacy for the next generation.

Some 49 African countries have so far confirmed their participation in the Games.

The Technical Committee for the 13th African Games, on a recent tour of the sporting facilities, said it was satisfied with the comprehensive work done on the projects.

It lauded the Government of Ghana and Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the effective monitoring and supervision of the projects.