Don’t compare African Games spending to 2008 AFCON – Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare defends US$250m African Games expenditure
By Kwame Bediako Former African Games Local Organising Committee chairman Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare has rejected comparisons between Ghana’s spending on the 2023 African Games and the cost of staging the 2008 AFCON. Appearing before Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Ofosu-Asare argued that the two events were fundamentally different. “That is a mistake we make as […]
Former African Games Local Organising Committee chairman Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare has dismissed comparisons between Ghana's expenditure on the 2023 African Games and the cost of hosting the 2008 AFCON. Addressing Parliament's Youth and Sports Committee, Ofosu-Asare emphasized that the two events were fundamentally distinct. He pointed out, "That is a mistake we make as a country, everybody is comparing us to 2008 AFCON.
Mr. Chairman, with all due respect, 2008 was just for one discipline, it was just for 16 countries." He went on to explain, "We hosted 53 countries, 23 disciplines and 8 demonstration disciplines, far exceeding AFCON, and that is the biggest mistake Ghanaians have made, therefore we should look at it differently from the AFCON."
Ofosu-Asare argued that the reported US$250 million spending should be evaluated considering the Games' broader needs, such as infrastructure, accommodation, feeding, and operational expenses. He testified alongside Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Adams as lawmakers probed the handling of funds for the continental multi-sport event.
Written by urgent.news from GBC Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
