PARIS, France, January 7 – Equatorial Guinea’s sports minister assured on Wednesday that stadia and accomodation in the host towns of Ebebiyin and Mongomo will be ready in time for the start of the Africa Cup of Nations.
“The accomodation in Ebebiyin and Mongomo is perfect and ready, the hotels and accomodation where some of the teams will be housed…there is no problem. We can accomodate however many people want to come,” declared Francisco Pascual Eyegue Obama Asue on television.
“As for the stadia and the deficiencies that there were with the seating and cabins for the press — everything is being resolved and the companies carrying out the work will hand over the keys on Saturday.”
Mongomo, situated near the border with Gabon and with a population of 50,000, is the principal town in president Teodoro Obiang’s home region, while Ebebiyin, considered the country’s third city with a population of over 60,000, is situated further north by the border with Cameroon.
As the “presidential” town, Mongomo, which will host Ghana, Algeria, Senegal and South Africa in Group C, has benefited from a degree of investment unheard of in the past.
Ebebiyin will host Zambia, Tunisia, Cape Verde and DR Congo in Group B.
However, there have been fears over Equatorial Guinea’s ability to get the two towns ready in time after the small state was named as host at the last minute in November following Morocco’s withdrawal.
Equatorial Guinea co-hosted the 2012 Cup of Nations with Gabon, although only the capital Malabo and largest city Bata were used then.
