The mascot was designed by Frank Fiifi Forson, and is named ɔkɔdeɛ, which translates to the Eagle.

Ghana's Minister of Youth and Sports Mustapha Ussif launched the symbols at a ceremony held at the Accra International Conference.

The logo had been developed through a competition won by Tracey Ampah Oppong from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Organising Committee executive chairman Kwaku Ofosu-Asare revealed.

"We received thousands of creative designs from young Ghanaians," Ofosu-Asare said.

"But we narrowed the selection down to a shortlist of five outstanding works before whittling the number down to a further two.

"The two shortlisted candidates were made to appear before the African Union (AU) Council and they had to justify their works.

"They did it via virtual together with the LOC [Local Organising Committee].

"I have to say that the AU Council was overwhelmed and impressed with the works and eventually the logo and the mascot were accepted."

He also explained that the new website represented an important marketing tool for the African Games.

"In our current digital world, the website plays an important role in the formation and dissemination of news in every organisation and in dealing with the international world," Ofosu-Asare commented.

The Organising Committee executive chairman also provided an update on a new complex at Borteyman, which is being constructed for the African Games, claiming that the Ghanaian Government is assisting the funding of three contractors working on the site.

"Borteyman is bubbling with action," he said.

"If you go to Legon, you will be amazed at the works going on at the site.

"And, at the hostels, Mawums Estate Limited is also on-site working.

"There is CONSAR at Legon and the contractor at Borteyman."

The complex is set to include a 1,000-capacity aquatics centre, featuring a 10-lane competition and eight-lane warm-up pool, as well as a multi-purpose sports hall capable of holding 10,000 and a 500-seater temporary dome.

In September, Ghana’s President Nana Akufo-Addo promised the country will be ready to host the Games for the first time after he cut the first sod of the $145 million (£108 million/€128 million) Borteyman complex.

Ghana was awarded the Games in October 2018 and more than 5,000 athletes from over 50 countries are expected to compete.

There had been uncertainty over whether the West African country would continue as host nation, with plans to build a new Olympic Sports Complex in Accra shelved in July.

However, an agreement was signed with the AU in October, which confirmed Ghana as host, and seven Sub-Committees of the Organising Committee were inaugurated in November.

The event next year is set to be the 13^th edition of the African Games, with dates still to be confirmed.

The last African Games were held in the Moroccan capital Rabat in 2019.