Ghana will host the 2023 West Africa Table Tennis Championship (2023 WTT) from April 24 to 27, at the Trust Sports Emporium in Accra.
Mr. Mawuko Afadzinu, President of the Ghana Table Tennis Association (GTTA) revealed this at the Press Launch held at the Labadi Beach Hotel on Wednesday, April 19.
According to Mr. Afadzinu who is also 1st Vice President of the GOC, the West African competition would position Ghana for a successful hosting of the 2023 African Games.
Mr. Afadzinu stressed that the benefits in hosting international tournaments were enormous, as it would also afford technical people such as referees and umpires to be upgraded and coaches to learn new tactics in the sport.
He named some of the countries who have registered to participate as Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Cote D’Ivoire, Senegal and hosts, Ghana.
He said the budget to host the competition runs to about GHC 800,000 and expressed gratitude to some companies that are partnering the Association to organise the event.
He mentioned Labadi Beach Hotel, Trust Sports Emporium, Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Goil, Sun Seekers, Special Ice Mineral Water and the media as those partnering the tournament.
He said the last edition of the West African tournament was hosted and won by Nigeria where Ghana got silver and bronze medals.
He noted that Ghana would feature two teams for males and females, adding that this would give advantage for more medals and exposure.
The president of the GOC, Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah who graced the event said the West African Table Tennis Tournament would give opportunity to the media to report and write about the game, as well as know the rules and scoring system in the game.
Dr. Kwaku Ofosu – Asare, Executive Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 13 African Games was excited with the competition, saying the players who would represent Ghana, were going to be seen and encouraged to win medals as well as gain international exposure.
He said all sports federations must market the African Games which Ghana would be hosted in March next year.
Source: Ghana News Agency