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VP Bawumia launches 100-Day countdown to Accra 2023 African Games
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, launched the 100-day countdown to the 13th African Games, Accra 2023.
Ghana won the bid in 2018 to host the African Games this year, but the Games was rescheduled to March 2024, following unforeseen circumstances, which derailed preparations.
With the government investing so much in developing multi-purpose facilities from scratch in Borteyman, as well as completing the University of Ghana Stadium, renovating hostel facilities for accommodation and building other supporting facilities near the University Stadium, all is now almost set for the Games, with the launch of 100-day countdown go viewed as a significant step.
Speaking at the launch, after inspecting facilities at both Borteyman and the University of Ghana, Dr. Bawumia who was quiet impressed with the facilities, highlighted the significance of hosting the game to Ghana.
“In its 57 years of existence, the African Games has been organized on twelve (12) occasions by nine (9) different countries. Out of the 9 countries, Algeria, Congo Brazzaville, and Nigeria have each organized and hosted the Games on two occasions,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“However, despite having Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana as founding member of the Games, the question is, why has Ghana not hosted the African Games until now? The answer is simple; there is a time for everything; and this is our time. Ghana is now ready, willing, and capable to organize and host Africa in the biggest sporting competition on the Continent.”
“Sports is now more than just a game. In this regard, the hosting of the 13th African Games goes beyond providing a participatory platform for countries to win medals.”
“Ghana is interested in organizing and hosting the African Games because of its wider cultural, social, health and economic outcomes. Indeed, the Games have the capacity to trigger off a wide range of external benefits, including building social capital, stimulating economic development, facilitating employment opportunities, promoting healthy lifestyles and peaceful coexistence.”
Dr. Bawumia added that the African Games is a major avenue to highlight sports as a means to create jobs for the youth of Africa as well as “offer the opportunity to leverage sports as a tool for comprehensive sustainable socio-cultural and economic development.”
“Indeed, our Government sees the development, promotion, and organization of sports, especially the African Games as an investment for the future. The construction of modern sports facilities for the African Games is therefore a deliberate effort towards providing additional Infrastructure to propel Sport for Development,” he noted.
About 5,000 athletes, 3,000 officials and over 30,000 fans are expected in the country for the Games, which will be held between March 8, 2023, and March 23, 2023.
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
