Ghana’s Olympic movement has entered a new era as Richard Akpokavie formally assumed office as President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), following a brief handover ceremony at the GOC headquarters in Accra on Tuesday.

The transition marks the end of Ben Nunoo Mensah’s eight-year tenure, with Akpokavie stepping in after securing a convincing win at the recent GOC Congress.

At the ceremony, Mr Nunoo Mensah handed over official documents, office keys, and leftover kits from Ghana’s Tokyo 2021 Olympics and Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Outgoing GOC Treasurer, Frederick Acheampong, also transferred financial records to his successor, Evans Yeboah.

In his address, Akpokavie, who had previously lost a bid for the presidency four years ago, called for unity among board members, sports federations, and the media to help reposition the GOC as a driver of excellence in Ghanaian sports.

“This is a new chapter for Ghana’s Olympic movement,” he said.

“Together, we can make the GOC a catalyst for sports transformation.”

Mr Nunoo Mensah urged Akpokavie to build on past successes and prioritise the completion of key projects such as the OlympAfrica Juvenile Sports Excellence Centre at Amasaman.

New GOC Secretary-General, Mohammed Muniru, praised Nunoo Mensah’s leadership and assured him that his counsel would continue to be welcomed.

The event was attended by key members of the GOC board, including Mawuko Afadzinu, Ernest Danso, Bawa Fuseini, Nii Lante Bannerman, Kamal Sulley, and Isaac Duah.