Committee working on access roads and lighting systems to venue

Kumasi, Nov. 30, GNA - The Kumasi Venue Organizing Committee (KVOC) of the Ghana 2008 soccer tournament has accelerated work on construction of the access roads to various hotels and provision of street lighting systems to ensure maximum security.

Dr. Emmanuel Asafo-Adjei, a member of the KVOC who made this known, said the Committee has also formed event committees to cater for entertainment and other live activities and programmes during none match days.

He said these at the opening of a strategic meeting organized by KVOC for Hospitality and Media Practitioners in Kumasi. The meeting enabled the participants to share information on their preparedness and collaboration as well as to identify gaps in their efforts to address them to ensure a successful tournament. The KVOC Member said the Committee would provide brochures at the hotels for information on health, adding that Ambulance services would be part of the committee's responsibility. "Efforts were being made to place medical doctors on call at certain hotels", he said. Dr Asafo-Adjei said that the committee was working assiduously to ensure that security was at its best before, during and after matches to escort teams and supporters to their resting places throughout the tournament so that no bad memories of the venue city are carried by anybody back to their bases.

Mr Edwin Owusu-Mensah, Deputy Executive Director (Operations) of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) said that the GTB has established information centres at various playing venues where visitors could go for the needed information.

He emphasized that a lot was expected from the KVOC and that the Board was aware of the challenges and called for contributions from all stakeholders to support the GTB so that all visitors and inhabitants are offered quality services.

Mrs. Ann Obeng-Ababio, Managing Partner of F and A Travel and Tours, Official Company for Ghana CAN 2008 said they were responsible for accommodation, transportation, air and land travels, industrial visits, leisure tourism and ground handling among other activities. She said that they have so far secured 3,882 accommodation facilities and that the company continues to inspect the hotels to secure more rooms up to about one million for visitors. Mrs Obeng-Ababio stressed that the Company was working closely with the KVOC and has arranged for cars, buses, pick-ups, motor bicycles as well as bicycles for easy transportation, adding that they would need close to 3,475 vehicles for the tournament.

The Company is also working in concert with the Aviation Authority to put up special flights to all the hosting venues so that people enjoy their stay during and after matches during the tournament. Mrs Stella Appenteng, President of Ghana Tourism Federation called for efficient and knowledgeable tour guides to lead and guide visitors saying, "this will make their stay very interesting to compel them to come back in future.