Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has been named the African Sports Minister of the Year at a prestigious ceremony held in Abuja, Nigeria.
The award recognizes Ussif’s outstanding leadership in successfully hosting the African Games 2023 and positioning Accra as the “ACCRA City of Sports.”
The event, themed “Sports as a Catalyst for Accelerated Tourism Development in Africa,” gathered prominent figures from the sporting and tourism sectors across the continent. Ussif’s contributions to elevating Ghana’s sporting landscape earned him this coveted accolade from his peers.
His significant contributions to Ghana’s sporting landscape have earned acclaim from his peers, culminating in this prestigious accolade.
In the acceptance speech, they highlighted the honor as a testament to Ghana’s sporting success, excellence, and unwavering commitment to innovation in the field.
Representatives led by Ambassador Inusah Zimblim, Head of Consular and Welfare at the Ghana High Commission in Abuja, including Jamaludeen A. Abdullah, Executive Assistant to the Minister, Dinah Boateng, Director of Protocol at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Commodore Bassing, Security Advisor at the High Commission in Abuja, accepted the award on his behalf.
Expressing gratitude in his acceptance speech, Jamaludeen remarked, “This award is a testament to the collective efforts of all those who have contributed to Ghana’s sporting success. It is a recognition of Ghana’s unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation in the field of sports.”
“On behalf of my boss, I will say we are deeply honored to receive this prestigious award and remain steadfast in our dedication to advancing the sports agenda in Ghana and beyond,” he stated.
The ceremony also celebrated other distinguished figures, including Senator John Owan-Enoh, Minister of Sports Development of Nigeria, H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusa, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Founder of Heartland F.C., and Lola Ade-John, Nigeria’s Minister of Tourism, among others.
Ussif’s honor highlights Ghana’s rising prominence on the African sporting scene and the nation’s dedication to leveraging sports for tourism growth and development across the continent.
