Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif

It has been revealed that, the Youth and Sports Minister, Mustapha Ussif assured volunteers of allowances ahead of the 2023 African Games.

Volunteers on Tuesday clashed with Police Personnel over unpaid allowances at the Games Village in Legon.

Over 1,000 people availed themselves to serve as volunteers for the organization of the continental event.

Exactly four days after the end of the Games, the volunteers were asked to leave from their lodges with no financial reward.

Despite their agitations of the volunteers, the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), Dr Kweku Ofosu Asare speaking to Joy Sports insisted that there was no financial package for the volunteers.

“There was miscommunication and misunderstanding, they did not get it well. I said give me a definition of volunteerism. The letter given to them, there was nothing about monetary consideration,” he said.

“I won’t fault them too much because when they got evicted [residence], the hostels that were used [belong to] private people.

“Right now, they arrange to give them some money to go home. They got a lot of things wrong that we are paying dollars to external volunteers. No external volunteers came. We did not have external volunteers,” he added.

However, the sector Minister addressing the media on March 4 ahead of the start of the 13th African Games said volunteers will be given allowances.

“Allowances for volunteers. The volunteers as well are going to be accommodated and fed, and will be given allowances.”

The African Games which officially began on March 8 lasted for 16 days as Ghana clinched 69 medals.

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