Amasaman: The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) is preparing to recommence the long-delayed Olympafrica project at Amasaman, with construction of a multipurpose sports hall slated to begin in June. This initiative comes after multiple high-level discussions aimed at revitalizing the project, which had been stagnant for several years due to fears of encroachment and concerns from the Olympafrica Secretariat.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Richard Akpokavie, President of the GOC, indicated at the Annual General Assembly that Olympafrica expressed dissatisfaction with the site's progress, prompting a requirement for Ghana to either resume physical work or return a $100,000 grant allocated in 2022. To adhere to the deadline and protect the funding, the GOC has earmarked an additional $100,000 in its current budget to launch the first phase of the project, which has an estimated total cost of $740,000.
The funding is designated to support the immediate construction of the sports hall, representing the initial step in the comprehensive Olympafrica facility plan. Mr. Akpokavie stated, "The Board has established a committee, headed by Nii Lante Bannerman, which has engaged all relevant stakeholders, including the Ga North Municipal Assembly, to ensure work begins on schedule. We have provided in our budget the sum of $100,000 to start construction of a multipurpose hall this year."
He further mentioned that the Minister responsible for Sports and Recreation has also committed the Ministry's support towards the project's completion. Mr. Akpokavie urged corporate institutions to contribute to the project in efforts to enhance sports infrastructure and foster talent development in Ghana.
Additionally, Mr. Akpokavie announced that Mr. Thierno Alassane Diack, Executive Director of Olympafrica, would visit Ghana in June for further discussions on the project. This visit aims to assess progress and establish an accelerated plan for completing the complex.
Upon completion, the Amasaman Olympafrica centre is expected to function as a hub for grassroots sports development, offering training facilities for youth and supporting non-football disciplines.