Ghana's Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has been honoured as the African Sports Minister of the Year at a ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria.

Under the theme "Sports as a Catalyst for Accelerated Tourism Development in Africa," the event gathered prominent figures from the sporting and tourism sectors to recognise individuals and initiatives propelling transformative change across the continent.

Ussif, whose leadership oversaw Ghana's hosting of the African Games 2023 in March, played a pivotal role in positioning Accra as the Africa City of Sports (ACCRA City of Sports).

His significant contributions to Ghana's sporting landscape have earned acclaim from his peers, culminating in this prestigious accolade.

Representatives led by Ambassador Inusah Zimblim, Head of Consular and Welfare at the Ghana High Commission in Abuja, including Jamaludeen A. Abdullah, Executive Assistant to the Minister, Dinah Boateng, Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Commodore Bassing, Security Advisor at the High Commission in Abuja, accepted the award on his behalf.

Expressing gratitude in his acceptance speech, Jamaludeen remarked, "This award is a testament to the collective efforts of all those who have contributed to Ghana’s sporting success," adding, "It is a recognition of Ghana’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of sports.

"On behalf of my boss, I will say we are deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award and remain steadfast in our dedication to advancing the sports agenda in Ghana and beyond," he stated.

The ceremony also celebrated other distinguished figures, including Senator John Owan-Enoh, Minister of Sports Development of Nigeria, H. E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusa, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Founder of Heartland F.C, and Lola Ade-John, Nigeria's Minister of Tourism, among others.