Former President John Dramani Mahama has urged the government of Ghana to pull out from hosting the 2023 All African Games as the nation is in financial distress.

Ghana's economy is on the brink of collapse with the West African country having overborrowed beyond what it can pay.

The government of Ghana is currently seeking solace from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a financial bailout.

Ghana won the hosting rights for the hitherto All African Games in October 2018 and has since been preparing for the tournament which kicks off next year.

Speaking to the nation on the jaded economy on Thursday evening at UPSA auditorium on the theme: “Building the Ghana we want”, the former president urged the government to scrap unnecessary expenditures like the All  African  Games on an economy on its knees.

“If it is not too late, we can pull out of hosting the All-Africa Games as it would severely stretch our already precarious finances by hundreds of millions of cedis,” he said.

“In our current economic state, public funds must go into projects that are necessary and which meet the pressing needs of our people in the communities. Such projects must have tangible and measurable impact on job creation and national development."

Ghana will play host to 54 participating nations and regions in the 13th African Games in 2023 hosting 25 sporting disciplines from the African Games.