Ghana turns down chance to host AFCON 2015

Ghana will not host the 2015 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Minister of Youth and Sports Mahama Ayariga declared here.

According to him Monday, given the concerns raised by health authorities, "the sports ministry has indicated to the GFA President that we (Ghana) are unable to host the tournament", reports Xinhua.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) had written to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to consider hosting the continental football fiesta, should Morocco stand down.

When the story first broke, the sports minister had said the West African country that hosts the headquarters of the United Nations (UN) Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), was willing to consider stepping in to host the event.

This, however, drew sharp criticism from the general public, with Professor Kwadwo Koram, head of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), the country's centre where suspected Ebola cases are tested, advising government strongly against any such move.

Ayariga told Joy FM, a local radio station here, that although the FA president had come to see him concerning CAF's proposal, Ghana would not host the tournament.

"We have indicated to him that from the representation that we have received from the people in the health sector, it doesn't look like Ghana is in the position to accept hosting the tournament and I think he has since conveyed this message to CAF," the minister disclosed.

President John Dramani Mahama, who was on an official visit to Britain when the story broke, insisted that he had not received any briefing on the issue and "cabinet has not taken any decision to host the tournament".

Morocco, which had won the bid to host the tournament, has finally informed CAF about its inability to host the tournament because of the Ebola outbreak.

The North African powerhouse had sought to get the tournament re-scheduled till the current mass outbreak of EVD (Ebola virus disease) in West Africa was brought under control, but the continent's football governing body turned down that request.