African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Executive Secretary Dr. Decius Chipande has commended the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 13th African Games for being the first to set up a sub-committee to manage the legal affairs of the games.
The seasoned sports administrator and university lecturer made the revelation during his submission at a joint meeting between the LOC for the Accra 2023 games and a team from the AUSC and Technical Committee for the Organisation of the African Games (TCAG) held at the Alisa Hotel in Accra on Sunday, February 13, 2022.
“The African Union Sports Council does not have a legal committee per se because all specialist technical areas of the African Union rely on the office of the Legal Council at the Headquarters. And, as a result, we do not have a separate legal sub-committee,” the astute Zambian sports brain stated in his submission.
Ghana’s LOC in charge of the 2023 African Games inaugurated the Legal Sub-Committee in November 2021 to, among other important functions, advise the LOC on all legal affairs and or contracts.
Ms. Eva Okyere, the chairperson of the subdivisional body, made a presentation to the four-member AU team led by ex-Malian Basketball star Mrs. Kadidiatou Kanoute, touching on key legal frameworks and necessary legal considerations for the event which is 76 weeks away.
Dr. Chipande also showered praises on Ghana for appointing a woman as the chairperson of the legal sub-committee, revealing that the move is in line with the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
“African Union Agenda 2063 puts women and youth at the center stage [in terms of running and managing the affairs of the continent]. And, we are hopeful that in the management and organisation going down to confederations and officials and referees, women will feature in strongly as well,” he stated.
