Accra, Nov. 20, GNA - Tertiary institutions across the country are expected to defer their re-opening dates to make way for visiting fans to use their hostels and halls of residence during the 26th MTN African Cup of Nations.

Most Tertiary institutions including those based at the match venues of Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi will begin the second semester from mid-February next year, with some of them after the February 10 closure of the tourney.

Magnus Rex Danquah, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Ghana 2008 Local Organizing Committee (LOC) told the GNA Sports that his outfit resorted to the use of hostels and halls of residence of the educational institutions to make way for fans who cannot afford hotel accommodation. The Chief Operating Officer said the LOC has held series of meetings with Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the selected institutions to that effect to ensure an amicable arrangement.

For the Sekondi-Takoradi venue, he confirmed that the hostels at Takoradi Polytechnic and the University of Cape Coast will be made available for the visiting fans of Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali and Benin.

Mr Danquah added that plans are far afoot for the usage of dormitories of some Senior High Schools in the Western Region in their quest to match up accommodation demands of fans. He affirmed that similar gestures will be replicated at the other venues as they seek to accommodate the expected one million fans during the three-week period.

The Chief Operating Officer explained that LOC has identified some open spaces to be fitted with canopies at the four venues to be used temporarily as resting places by some fans during the January 20 - February 10 championship.

Dr Danquah said the open spaces will be fitted with tents and equipped with basic amenities such as electricity and water to make life convenient for those who intend to patronize them. He said even though he envisages accommodation as one of the major challenges of the LOC, he was optimistic that they would be better placed to satisfy the demands of all fans to make all feel comfortable and enjoy the hospitality of the Ghana 2008 and the various culture of the country.