Ghana will gladly host AFCON 2015 – Sports Minister

• Posted on October 17, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Youth and Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga says Ghana is ready to host next year’s African Cup of Nations, despite the threat of Ebola.

The original host, Morocco is asking CAF to postpone the tournament, failing which they would have no choice than to abandon the rights to host Africa’s biggest football extravanganza.

The North African country does not want to take any risk with Ebola- a disease spread through contact with body fluids of infected persons.

The disease has claimed over 4,500 lives across the world with Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia worst affected.

Nigeria, has also recorded an outbreak but with few deaths.

With Morocco threatening to pull out, CAF has turned to either South Africa or Ghana to host the tournament.

At a press conference early Friday, South Africa says it will not host the tournament.

On the contrary, Ghana says it is ready.

Sports Minister Mahama Ayariga told Joy News “Ghana is ready to host the AFCON 2015.”

He said the ministry working with the GFA can organise a successful nations cup tournament next year.

But a section of Ghanaians are not in favour of government’s decision to host the tournament next year.

They told Joy News it would be too risky hosting such a tournament in the country and expressed mistrust in pre-existing health and security systems.

-Myjoyonline