Vice President of the Republic, H.E Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has on Friday January 12, 2024, joined the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) and the sports fraternity, for the 48th Annual SWAG Awards Night at the Accra International Conference Centre (A.I.C.C), themed: “Leveraging the benefits of hosting the African Games”.
Addressing the gathering, he disclosed that Government’s strategic decision to host the African Games for the first time in Ghana’s history, has resolved a generational problem of inadequate infrastructure for multi-sports disciplines, through the world-class sports facilities built both at Borteyman and the University of Ghana campus to host the African Games in March this year.
Dr. Bawumia added that, “At Borteyman Sports Complex, we have built a world class aquatic center with 10-lane competition pool, and another 10 lanes for warm up. The Borteyman Complex also has a 1000-seater multi-purpose sports hall for indoor games such as basketball, boxing, volleyball, table tennis, ludu, hand ball and other indoor games. It has an additional 5 world-class tennis courts, one of which is covered, with spectators stand of 1000 seats. The Complex also has another 1000-seater dome for more indoor games, a warm-up athletics tracks and a standard football field”.
He further noted that another venue for the African Games that has been completed by the Akufo-Addo led administration is located on the University of Ghana campus, thus, the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, which had been abandoned for eight years by the previous NDC government.
“The Legon Stadium has now been upgraded to international standard, with modern athletic tracks and a standard warm-up athletic track beside the stadium. We have also built a standard football pitch and also, a standard rugby pitch is nearing completion”, Dr. Bawumia added.
These facilities in addition to the ten (10) new sports stadia in each of the ten (10) then regions, of which six (6) have been completed, as well as the 155 astro turfs commissioned, fits into Government’s new sports vision, and will enhance Ghana’s sports development and promotion.
Dr. Bawumia again emphasized on the significance of adopting a modern facilities maintenance module to ensure that the standard of the facilities are maintained always.
The purpose of the Annual SWAG Awards is to recognize and award outstanding Ghanaian athletes, sports officials and sports journalists.
