All African Games to cost Ghana 12 billion cedis

Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC) has said Ghana's participation in the October All Africa Games in Abuja Nigeria would cost the country 12 billion cedis.

Speaking at a ceremony in Accra on Tuesday when four associations under the NSC outlined their plans for the impending qualification tournaments for the Games, he said the Games Management Committee had decided to allow 13 sports disciplines into the Abuja fiesta if they qualify.

He said despite the decision, the final team and number of athletes to represent the country would be determined in relation to the money available.

"If the expected revenue does not come from the expected private and government sources some hard decisions would have to be taken which can affect all the team"

The associations that did the briefing were - Tennis, Taekwando, Cycling and Basketball.

Outlining their plans, the Tennis Association said all is set for Ghana's Davis Cup encounter against Slovenia, scheduled for the Accra Sports Stadium Tennis Court from Friday 4 to Sunday 6 April.

Mr P K Atta, General Secretary of the Associations said currently there are four players - Gunther Darkey, George Buckman, Salifu Mohammed and Kwasi Ahinkora in camp.

Conspicuously missing from the squad was Henry Adjei-Darko whose heroics in Ghana's last Davis Cup qualifier against Armenia last year helped the country to qualify to Euro/Africa Zone two.

Mr Atta said the exclusion of Adjei-Darko was no fault of the Association's as they did all they could to included the him in the team but were given the excuse that the boy would, within the week, leave for the USA to pursue his education.

He rather laid the blame at the doorstep of the father of Henry who he claimed was the reason why the boy was not in camp.

Mr Atta said even with Henry's absence, moral in camp is high judging from the way the players are responding to training under the new team captain Ayi Dartey who took over from Coach David Churcher, who has been redeployed to the association.

Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah explained that the change in the technical direction of the Tennis association was inline with the report of the Joe Aggrey Committee set up by the Sports Ministry to examine ways that the sports associations under the NSC could be revamped.

"It high time we widened the net to allow more people into the field and give every body, who is competent to do the job, the opportunity to prove his worth"

The Basketball Association said preparations are on course for Ghana to host the Zone 3 Female elimination tourney in Accra from April 5 to 12.

Mr Francis Kpesenu, the association's General Secretary said the selected venues for the qualifiers are the University of Ghana, Legon and the Aviation Social Centre Courts.

Participating countries are - la Cote D'Ivoire, Niger and Nigeria.

He said the men would also participate in a similar qualifier in La Cote D'Ivoire from May 17 to 24.

The Cycling and the Taekwando associations also outlined their plans on team building and preparations for the Games.