Officials from the International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa and the Ghana Cricket Association have held a stakeholder meeting ahead of the 2023 Africa Games to be held in March next year. The meeting was aimed at updating them on the current state of the Achimota Cricket Oval and solicit for support in completing the project ahead of the Games. The team from ICC Africa was led by Madam Patricia Kambarami, ICC Development Manager for Africa, and had Mr Kuben Pillay, ICC Finance and Operations Officer Africa, Mr Justine Ligyalingi – ICC Development Officer for Africa, and Mr Uyi Akpata, President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation who is assisting the ICC Africa office in West Africa with the preparation for the Games. Ghana Cricket Association was also led by its President, Mr Emmanuel Asare, other board members present were Mr Oscar Provencal, Vice President, Mr Seth Nti, Secretary, Eugene King, Development Officer, Obed Harvey, and Angela Cassandra Allotey, the Treasurer. The meeting was attended by Ambassadors and High Commissioners of cricket playing nations, corporate bodies, and the media. President of the Ghana Cricket Association, Mr Emmanuel Asare, expressed gratitude to the stakeholders for attending the meeting and added that he believed that something positive in terms of monetary support would come out from the meeting. He mentioned that they have already received support from PricewaterHouseCoopers and GCB Bank. He took the opportunity to commend them for coming on board and called on other bodies to do the same. Mr Asare was optimistic that irrespective of the time left, the oval will be ready for the Games. According to him, the ICC had been supportive and called on the government of Ghana through the Local Organising Committee to also do their part since cricket was one of the sports codes for the games. He explained that the concentration of the LOC and the Ministry of Youth and Sports was at Borteyman and Legon at the expense of Achimota which is a stone throw from Legon. ‘We are very grateful to the International Cricket Council because without them, I am not sure the level of work done would have been achieved. They have always been making sure the right things are done to get a world class oval. ‘I am also pleading with the LOC to give us some attention because the money involved in renovating the facility is huge and the ICC cannot cover all expenses, so we call on the government and the corporate world to assist us,’ Mr Asare stated. The officials from ICC Africa mentioned that they will support Ghana to develop the oval into a world class facility to attract quality games during the competition.

Source: Ghana News Agency