The management, maintenance, and especially the standards used in licensing stadiums or match venues in Ghana are getting ridiculous by the day. Now and then, there is a story to show why a stadium or two are not conducive, suitable, or safe for football.
We have had frequent warnings to either sit up or face shutdown of our stadiums from CAF/FIFA since March 2022. How did we get there? Have stadium standards improved so well elsewhere, and we have slipped into the pit of disrepair? The Ghana Football Association (GFA) has recently issued cautions to clubs on the state of their venues.
In the last few days, Accra Hearts of Oak have been combing the capital combing the capital looking for a venue for their premier league match. There has been confounding information on where Hearts of Oak are playing their next game. How does this happen? Why are stadiums closed for renovation to get them ready for competitions if they are certified to host matches from the start of the season?
What at can we get right in sports development if we cannot maintain stadiums? The National Sports Authority has an arduous task to make state sports infrastructure fit for purpose. Taxes cannot be used to construct these edifices only to leave them to rot like Essipong and then more resources are spent to renovate them.
I believe that the Ministry of Sports Recreation along with the NSA must immediately order an audit of state sports infrastructure to establish the true situation. Our stadiums need an immediate structural audit and maintenance plan. The back-and-forth stories on stadium suitability, safety and security in Ghana is concerning.
It has gotten to disgraceful levels and the earlier the issue is addressed the better. Stadiums in Ghana need immediate audit to ascertain the current situation with a comprehensive plan to getting them back to acceptable standards.