The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 13th African Games has refuted claims that a staggering $15 million was spent on feeding just 500 athletes during the event.
Emmanuel Mantey, the Chairman of the LOC’s Catering Subcommittee speaking to the media, clarified that the figure was grossly inaccurate. He explained that the $15 million was allocated to feed close to 13,000 individuals, including athletes, journalists, technical officials, security personnel, volunteers, dignitaries, and VIPs.
Mantey highlighted that the Ghanaian contingent alone exceeded 500 athletes, and each participant was provided with four meals a day – breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. He stated that the daily per-head cost for each meal was $15, bringing the total daily expenditure to $60 per athlete.
This clarification comes in response to recent reports by Kobena Woyome, the Ranking Member on the Youth, Sports, and Culture Committee of Parliament, who revealed that Ghana spent $15 million on athletes’ food only during the 2023 African Games.