Ghana has committed to providing full diplomatic recognition and institutional support for the African Paralympic Committee (AfPC) as Accra prepares to become its permanent headquarters.
The West African nation becomes the first to offer a permanent home for the continental body, marking a significant step in strengthening para-sport infrastructure across Africa.
Speaking at the AfPC General Assembly in the Ghanaian capital, Sports and Recreation Minister Kofi Iddie Adams called on African nations to unite behind para-sport and integrate it into mainstream policy rather than treating it as an afterthought.
“The future of African sport is not complete if it is not inclusive,” Adams told delegates from across the continent. “The voice of para-athletes must not echo on the margins; it must define the centre.”
Ghana has endorsed a headquarters agreement that will grant the AfPC diplomatic recognition and functional autonomy in Accra, but Adams emphasised that success depends on backing from all African governments.
The minister paid tribute to Samson Deen, president of both the AfPC and Ghana Paralympic Committee, describing his leadership as “catalytic” and crediting him with transforming para-sport into a continental movement. Deen was instrumental in bringing the inaugural African Para Games to Accra in 2023, a milestone that Adams called “a statement of belief” in inclusion.
The historic 2023 Games represented a watershed moment for African para-sport, bringing together athletes from across the continent for the first time in a dedicated multi-sport event. The success of that pioneering competition demonstrated Africa’s capacity to deliver world-class para-sport events and laid the foundation for Ghana’s bid to host the AfPC headquarters.
“When Ghana hosted the first African Para Games two years ago, it was a statement of belief,” Adams said. “We believe that inclusion must sit at the core of our sports policy and our development agenda. And we believe Africa can lead that charge.”
African para-athletes have achieved growing success on the global stage, with Nigerian powerlifters, Tunisian track athletes and South African swimmers claiming medals at recent Paralympic Games. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics recorded over 4.25 billion viewers worldwide, demonstrating the growing stature of para-sport.
However, Adams acknowledged that behind every medal lies “a struggle for access, for training, for recognition”, with athletes across the continent facing structural, social and financial barriers.
Ghana has outlined ambitious plans to support para-sport, including accessible stadiums and training centres in its sports infrastructure masterplan, inclusive programmes at national and district levels, and grassroots talent identification initiatives that encompass athletes of all abilities.
The minister issued three key calls to action: continental unity in ratifying the AfPC’s institutional recognition, national investment in para-sport from grassroots to elite levels, and a narrative shift in how Africa views disability and ability.
“Let us use sport not only as a tool for empowerment, but for reshaping public consciousness,” Adams said. “Disability is not inability, and inclusion is not charity; it is justice.”
The General Assembly brought together representatives from African nations, the International Blind Sports Federation, International Cricket, the Asian Paralympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee of Chinese Taipei.
