Youth and Sports Minister, Mahama Ayariga, says government is not pushing for an opportunity to host the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament, contrary to public speculations.

According to the Sports Minister, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has only written to Ghana to consider hosting the football competition after original hosts Morocco backed down from staging the tournament over Ebola fears.

"When a definite offer comes, that's when really we have to communicate a total acceptance", the Minister said.

The Ghana Medical Association, IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, and pressure group, Occupy Ghana have all kicked against attempts by government to accept Ghana's hosting invitation.

According to them the country risks bringing on itself the potential spread of the deadly Ebola Viral Disease that has claimed close to 5,000 lives.

The latest to join the call for Ghana to put aside plans to host the AFCON is Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Kwadwo Koram, who has said hosting such a tournament during the Ebola scourge could prove catastrophic for the country.

Mahama Ayariga seems to agree the calls are in the right direction.

"I think that the public is rightly concerned. We have to keep praying that the [Ebola] virus does not come anywhere near us.  For us as a country...we will not take decisions without considering the supreme interest of our people", he told Joy News.