The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has condemned the series of embarrassing incidents that have marred Ghana's hosting and participation in the ongoing African Games.
A statement issued by the party in response to reports of South Africa's decision to withdraw its men's and women's hockey teams from the competition, citing the substandard conditions of Ghana's hockey pitch, the NDC demanded among other things, the resignation and/or dismissal of the Minister of Youth and Sports for gross incompetence, which the party says has occasioned “this monumental embarrassment to the nation.”
Read also: South Africa withdraw from African Games hockey due to substandard facilities and ill-prepared hosts
The NDC also demands the dissolution of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ongoing All African Games, a forensic audit into the budget and expenditure for the preparation and organisation of the games, and a televised probe by Parliament into the expenditure and organisation of the games.
The party cites Ghana's Cycling Champion, Michael Naaba, who was forced to withdraw from the cycling competition after his personal bicycle broke down during the contest, as an addition to the embarrassment.
See also: Photos from Team Ghana's swimming competition at 13th African Games
Furthermore, the Ghanaian Swimming Team withdrew from the 4×100 relay final under undisclosed circumstances, contributing to a growing sense of disappointment among Ghana's athletes.
The NDC has expressed dismay at the situation, particularly in light of the substantial financial investment made by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government. According to the statement, an eye-watering USD$195 million was allocated for pre-games preparations, with an additional USD$48 million earmarked for logistical support by the Local Organising Committee (LOC).
Sammy Gyamfi Esq., the National Communications Officer of the NDC, lambasted the government for what he described as "outrageous" expenditure that has yielded nothing but shame for the nation. He asserted that the incident is symptomatic of the government's ineptitude and corruption, tarnishing Ghana's reputation on the international stage.
In response to the debacle, the NDC has demanded immediate action, including the resignation or dismissal of the Minister of Youth and Sports for what they termed "gross incompetence."
As Ghana grapples with the fallout from these sporting fiascos, the NDC has vowed to pursue the matter further, promising to revisit the scandal under a future NDC/Mahama government. In the meantime, they stand in solidarity with the people.
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