the CAN 2008 tournament has advised managers of tourist facilities in
the Metropolis to strive to upgrade their facilities to meet
international standards towards the impending tournament in Ghana next
year.
The Committee said the upgrading of such facilities was crucial
to ensuring the nation's image was ensured when the tournament starts,
and warned that it would in collaboration with the Ghana Tourist Board
(GTB) close down sub-standard tourist facilities if they are not given
a face-lift.
Professor Kwasi Kwafo Adarkwa, Chairman of the Committee,
announced this at a press conference organized to brief newsmen on
measures being instituted by the Committee to ensure that Kumasi
Metropolis became one of the successful hosting venues.
He said as part of moves to ensure professionalism in the
operation of tourist facilities, the GTB had been mandated to organize
training workshops for managers of hotels, restaurants, night clubs
and drinking spots to build their capacity and develop their
knowledge-base ahead of the tournament.
On the rehabilitation of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Prof
Adarkwa said the Committee was satisfied with the progress of work so
far done by the contractors, Messrs Consar Construction Limited.
He said when completed, the stadium would have a seating capacity
for about 40,000 spectators, adding that a total of four floodlights
with 75 bulbs fixed on each would be installed since most of the
matches would be honoured in the evenings.
The Chairman further said that the stadium would have a general
media centre with a broad-band Internet access to facilitate the work
of media personnel covering the event.
He stated that there were also plans by the KVOC to sell advance
tickets for the tournament so as to avoid inconveniences when the
tournament starts.
Prof Adarkwa said rehabilitation works have also begun earnestly
on the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST),
Prempeh College, Opoku Ware School and Wesley College Parks to put the
training pitches into proper shape before the commencement of the
tournament.
He pointed out that the playing fields of those pitches would be
upgraded to CAF standards whilst the changing rooms would also see a
facelift when the project is finally completed.
On accreditation, the Chairman said accreditation for the
coverage of the tournament would be given to all local media houses
which intend to cover the tournament and therefore urged the media to
contact the Committee as soon as possible to be briefed on the
modalities for getting their accreditation.
He gave the assurance that the Committee would not discriminate
against any media house in the issuance of the accreditation and
therefore called on the media to endeavour to create the necessary
awareness as the tournament draws near to get most sports lovers
interested in the event.
07 June 07
