AFCON 2023 hosts Cote d Ivoire, pumped a whopping one billion dollars into preparation to host the tournament which got underway today officials have revealed.
Initially, reports around Ivory Coast claimed that the government spent close to two billion dollars in organizing the tournament which is the biggest football festival on the continent.
Most activists in the country who just survived a civil war barely 13 years ago are not happy that the country has to spend so much in organizing a football tournament.
On the other hand, some apologists of the president, Alassane Ouattara, see the investment as a step in the right direction due to the futuristic aspects of the investment.
The bad side is that the alleged one billion dollars used in organizing the tournament was part of the $3.5 billion loan the country took from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last April.
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The $1 billion was used to build four new stadiums and refurbish two others in preparation for the tournament. Also, airports, roads, hospitals, and hotels received a facelift from the said amount.
This development took place only in the cities set aside for the tournament which are: Abidjan, Bouake, Korhogo, San Pedro, and Yamoussoukro.
“When Ivory Coast decided to organize this Nations Cup, it was not to make money but to reposition itself,” Francois Amichia, a former sports minister who is now a member of parliament in Ivory Coast said.
“It was an opportunity to provide sports infrastructure and I must remind you that no sports infrastructure had been built for years – with the Nations Cup allowing us to have four new and two refurbished stadiums in one go.”
Sports stakeholders however say money committed to development of infrastructure to host international tournaments cannot be regarded as waste as such infrastures remain after the tournament and the investment can be recouped if properly managed.
