The Central Planning Committee for this year’s Tour du Ghana was inaugurated on Thursday, September 3, at the Conference Room of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC).
Hon. Kobla Mensah Woyome, former MP of South Tongu and Chairperson of the Government Relations and Stakeholders Sub-committee of the GOC, is the chairman, with members drawn from strategic stakeholders such as the GOC, National Sports Authority (NSA), African Cycling Satellite Network, Police Service (MTTD), National Fire Service, National Ambulance Service and African Cycling Satellite, National Road Safety, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), and Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)
Others are National Wellness and Recreation Programme, Local Destinations Committee Reps, Media, Finance and Medical.
President of the Ghana Olympic Committee, Richard Akpokavie Esq who inaugurated the Committee and launched the 2026 Tour du Ghana, spelt out their responsibilities and duties.
He urged them to work hard to market and promote the event to attract sponsors and the expected audience.
He stressed that Cycling is an Olympic sport, so Ghanaian cyclists must be assisted to qualify for the biggest sporting festival in the world.
Hon. Woyome accepted the role and hoped that the Tour du Ghana 2026 will project Ghana well so that the event would be added to the world calendar of the international cycling body, UCI.
“Tour Du Ghana presents us with an opportunity not only to deliver a professionally organised and competitive cycling event, but also to showcase Ghana’s tourism, culture, hospitality and investment potential to participants and audiences from across the world,” he expressed.
Mr Mohammed Shaaban, Secretary General of the Ghana Cycling Federation, announced that the Tour du Ghana will start from Tamale in the north on November 9 and end in Accra on November 23.
He noted that the race will cover a distance of 2,401.7km over 11 stages across several regions, including the Northern, Savanna, Bono, Volta, Eastern, and Greater Accra, with 90 cyclists representing 15 teams.
He named some of the new participants as the Pru team, the Police team, as well as foreign teams from the USA, UK, and Europe.
He urged companies that showed commitment in the last edition and could not deliver to fulfil their pledges, and informed them that Promasidor, the producer of Cowbell products, is returning to support the Tour. He added that the Cycling Federation will ensure safety management by UCI standards.
Mr. Nathaniel Laryea, the media representative on the Planning Committee, explained that cyclists do everything to win the jerseys at stake because they are highly valued in the sport.
By Sammy Heywood Okine
