With just seven days to the kick-off of the Ghana 2008, the fun and fever that started building up a few months ago will soon be heightened when the Local Organising Committee starts hoisting the national flags of the 16 participating countries.

Kwame Karikari, Head of Marketing at the LOC told The  Saturday Statesman in an interview that preparations for the grand opening ceremony on January 19th has reached an advanced stage and promised that tourists who would witness Ghana’s culture and hospitality will have some thing to reminisce about when they go back home.

He revealed that the entertainment package for the tournament, which will liven up the Independence Square every night will feature over thirty artistes including musicians, dancers and comedians.

According to Karikari, Batman Samini, the MTN ambassador will be in action along side popular artistes like Tic Tac, VIP, Philipa Berfi, Pat Thomas, Grace Ashy, Christiana Love, Nat Brew and the Ghana Dance Ensemble to mention just a few.

He assured football fans and the general public that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure their safety.

Meanwhile, the LOC has included beach soccer on the menu of the fiesta.

LOC Chairman Kofi Amoah says the competition would afford Ghanaians an opportunity to showcase more of the things that set Ghana apart from the rest of Africa. “Football lovers who would come from all walks of life and from many different countries would be in for a feast of fun at the four venues and now at the beach when footballers take a break,” he said.

The chance to see, taste and feel the famous Ghanaian hospitality would be the catalyst for the beach soccer show.

The chief executive officer of the National Sports Council, Prince Ernest Oduro Mensah, a staunch fun of beach sports told The Saturday Statesman that all Ghanaians must take advantage of the tournament to relax with their families and make new friends. King Ayisoba, Kwaw Kese, Shasha Marley and others will also be on hand to add some music to rock the place till mama calls.

As to whether the artistes are ready to support the LOC, Tic Tac, one of the artistes on the bill, told the Saturday Statesman that he and his colleagues were raring to go.