Speaking at a press conference at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, September 30, 2024, Dr Ofosu-Asare said athletes were served breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks with food from various parts of Africa, not just the West African sub-region.
The 2023 Africa Games Local Organising Committee (LOC) Executive Chairman, Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare, says the media should praise the LOC for feeding athletes four times a day with no case of food poisoning during the Games, instead of focusing on the $15 million spent.
'Africa Games athletes ate 4 times daily with no food poisoning’ - LOC defends $15m on feeding
He then criticised the media for not focusing on how the LOC fed athletes four times daily with no reported case of food poisoning.
Dr Kwaku Ofosu-Asare
Pulse Ghana
LOC Chairman chastises media over budget complaints
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“We also want to make you aware that we fed them four times a day, as I indicated – breakfast, lunch, supper or dinner, and snack. And I want to say emphatically there wasn’t any person who had food poisoning," he said.
“This is a great achievement; elsewhere people have these challenges... and instead of our brothers and sisters in the media praising us for this, it is only the $15 million [they are focused on].”
The LOC Executive Chairman also explained the decision to provide different sets of meals for athletes coming from outside West Africa.
“You cannot only cook for those coming from West Africa or Ghana, it has to be across the board, all over Africa. You have to study their cuisine and produce them,” he added.
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The Minister of Sports, Mustapha Ussif, is scheduled to testify before Parliament to provide a comprehensive account of the costs associated with the continental tournament.
Ghana won 69 medals at the African Games, held from 8 March to 23 March 2024, marking the country's first hosting rights.
The LOC has been under public scrutiny for the total expenditure during the Games. Monday’s press conference was held to clarify contracts relating to insurance, catering, and the Games Management System.
