Andrew Parsons in Ghana: presidential talks in 2022 and the opening of Accra 2023

Ghana discussions in January 2022

Parsons arrived at Kotoka International Airport on 4 January 2022 for a reported four-day visit, welcomed by African Paralympic Committee President Samson Deen and Ghana's Paralympic officials. Contemporary Joy Sports coverage described the trip as the first visit to West Africa by an IPC president. Discussions about organising an inaugural African Para Games formed a central purpose of the visit.

On 5 January, Parsons met President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House. Youth and Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif and Deen were involved in the engagement. The discussions addressed Ghana's proposed hosting role and longer-term development, with Parsons outlining possible IPC support through expertise, resources and partnerships. Ussif reported that a hosting proposal would be submitted to the ministry for consideration.

Joy Sports also reported that Parsons was expected to attend the swearing-in of Samson Deen following his election as AfPC President. This was an announced part of the itinerary; the sources reviewed for this archive do not independently confirm the completed ceremony.

An opening milestone in Accra

Ahead of Accra 2023, a preview announced Parsons's expected arrival on 2 September. His attendance was subsequently confirmed at the opening ceremony on 3 September at the Trust Sports Emporium. Deen addressed the gathering, while Ussif welcomed the participating athletes.

The Games were scheduled for 3–12 September. Their programme comprised amputee football, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis. Federation records confirm the tennis tournament's 6–10 September dates and the basketball competition's role as the African Championships, linked to the qualification route towards Paris 2024.

A continental development ambition

In January 2022, Parsons had described Ghana as a potential hub for Para sport development after meeting Minister Mustapha Ussif. The contemporary News Ghana report connected this ambition with Deen’s AfPC leadership and opportunities for international competition. That statement preceded the September Games.

Speaking at the opening, Parsons reaffirmed the IPC's intention to support African Para sport. Read together, the January meetings and September ceremony document the institutional discussions and public commitments surrounding Ghana's hosting of the inaugural Games.

The Ghana visit in photographs

The accompanying gallery brings together all 30 photographs from the IPC PRESIDENT album shared by AfPC DEEN on Flickr. The collection includes the sports ministry engagement, Jubilee House discussions and delegation portraits. Seven photographs supplied separately are exact duplicates of album files and are represented once.