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Isaac Kwame Asiamah: Africa Games to go ahead in 2023
Despite the pandemic and its debilitating effect, the minister expressed the hope that the 2023 African Games would still go ahead.
"Notwithstanding the negative effect of COVID-19 on global sporting programmes, I am happy to announce that Ghana’s preparation to host the 2023 African Games is on course. So far, there has not been any indication of the postponement of the Games. Nonetheless, the 2023 African Games Project Team, led by my hardworking Deputy Minister (Perry Okudjeto), is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Ghana organises and hosts a memorable African Games come 2023," he assured.
Black Bombers
Mr Asiamah said he had plans to re-engage the Black Bombers and find ways to settle their per diems and other allowances, adding that his outfit bought tickets for them to participate in the Olympic qualifiers and was also ready to assist them in their endeavours.
Resumption of non-contact sports
He listed the 20 non-contact sporting disciplines which could resume training as athletics, badminton, baseball and softball, chess, cricket, cycling, golf, gymnasium, individual non-contact para-sports, keep fit clubs (100 persons maximum), polo, power-lifting, scrabble, shooting, snooker, swimming, table tennis, tennis, watersports and weightlifting.
Natural grass turf
Mr Asiamah also said his ministry preferred natural grass turfs to artificial astro turfs, stressing that “we are doing natural grass across the whole country.”
According to him, his outfit is constructing stadia in each of the original 10 regions of the country, while the six remaining regions will have their turn soon when the President cuts the sod for construction to begin in the latter part of the year.
He added that the stadia would contain a FIFA standard pitch that all soccer teams could train on and stressed that the Upper West Region was a particular focus for this project.
“The Upper West Region is the only region in Ghana with no stadium or any standard sporting facility of good quality. That is going to change with the construction of the sports complex,” he hinted.