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AG 2023: Win medals to justify expenditure
Benjamin Kwaku Azamati – to lead Ghana’s medal charge
Spectacular ceremony kicked into motion yesterday the 13th edition of the African Games (AG) on Ghanaian soil for the first time in the history of the competition.
The Games would have in attendance over 7,000 world-class athletes from every part of the continent of Africa, in addition to other thousands made up of officials, technical delegates and many other stakeholders.
And as host nation, Ghanaians have every reason to be optimistic that her medal haul at the competition would improve.
Officials of the respective teams of Ghana are aware of this expectation of Ghanaians who have been made to understand that past failures were because few athletes participated as a result of the cost involved.
Gladly, the Games are happening right on our soil and every discipline code chosen for the Games must have no room for excuses.
Already, comments urging Ghanaians to be modest in their expectation have started flying with others even attempting to introduce Olympic values of mere participation and not winning at all cost into the fray.
It may be tolerable to sound cautious but one may then ask why a country should spend so much to provide infrastructure and other logistics to host such a high profile event and win nothing.
Exact figures of expenditure so far has been difficult to sight but those made available by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, indicates that the government has so far spent a total of $195 million on the provision of infrastructure for the Games.
That represents the amount approved by Parliament although a few members of the same house are beginning to raise concerns over the Games’ expenditure.
In the Minister’s breakdown, he disclosed that an amount of $145,086,057.54 was spent on the Borteyman Sports Complex, which was constructed by Contracta Construction UK Limited; a total of $34,102,135.00 on the upgrade of the 11,000-seater University of Ghana Stadium with a track, a warm-up area for athletes, and a rugby pitch constructed by Consar Limited and a Games Village put up by Mawums Limited at a cost of $16,066,961.20.
That is a huge amount of money and the only justification for that expenditure should be a good medal haul and the quality of facilities Ghana would be left with.
That should make our athletes aware that Ghanaians would not accept any mediocre show on home soil and it is the reason they would enjoy the maximum support to deliver.
There is high expectation for the male and female football teams that would be competing at the Accra and Cape Coast Sports stadiums, the boxing team (Black Bombers), athletics, armwrestling team, taekwondo and others.
The African Games, without doubt, represents a platform to celebrate the traditions and cultures of the various countries and must be preserved at all cost.
However, the rising cost of hosting it will soon become its biggest demon due to the current state of the economies of member nations.
The story of Malawi has been very pathetic and must be a concern to all.
Despite the many talented youth in the country, Malawi could only afford to send two boxers to Accra for the African Games after her boxing association named eight boxers for the Games because the Malawian government was cash-strapped.
The duo includes light-welterweight, Elias Bonzo, and welterweight, Lewis Zakeyu.
Scarcity of funds has been a major stumbling block not only for Malawi. Many other countries are in similar financial quagmire, for which reason they may limit the number of athletes to sponsor for the Games.
In Ghana, there was division at certain points following the delay in construction works, leading to calls from a section of the political elites to abandon the hosting.
That should send signals to members of the African Union Sports Council (AUSC), the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), and the Association of African Sports Confederations (AASC/UCSA), owners of the Games to find ways to raise funds to sustain the event instead of leaving a chunk of the task on governments with ailing economies.
By Andrew Nortey
The Ashanti South Regional Police Intelligence Directorate has arrested two suspects in connection with a robbery attack on an Indian national in Obuasi and a separately planned robbery operation targeting a distribution company in the same area.
On April 16, 2026, Police received credible intelligence that a group of armed men were planning an attack in Obuasi. A police team moved swiftly into the area and arrested suspect Iddrisu Fuseini, also known as “Iddi”, at his hideout in Bedieso, Obuasi.
During interrogation, he confessed to being part of a six-member gang that attacked an Indian national at his residence at New Baakoyeden, Obuasi, on April 12 2026, robbing him of GH₵150,000.00.
He disclosed that the attack was orchestrated following a tip-off from suspect Ibrahim, an employee of the victim, who informed the gang that the victim kept large sums of money.
Further investigations led to the arrest of a second suspect, Shaibu Mohammed, also known as “SM” or “Cicinati”, on 20th April 2026 at his hideout in Gausu, Obuasi. During interrogation, he admitted to participating in the planning of the robbery and confirmed that the gang had further planned to rob a distribution company near Mawuli Hotel in Obuasi.
Investigations have further revealed that both suspects are currently standing trial at the Obuasi Circuit Court in connection with a separate robbery of GH₵600,000.00.
A manhunt is ongoing to arrest the remaining accomplices, identified as Khalifa, Edward, Prof, Waddle, Ebbe, and Ibrahim, and to recover a pump action gun and a locally manufactured pistol believed to be in their possession.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
