Let's bid to host AFCON 2019 – Freda Prempeh

The Chairperson of the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, Freda Akosua Prempeh, has charged Ghana’s football authority to consider bidding for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to announce a new host for the bi-annual competition after stripping Cameroon of the hosting right last week.

In an interview with Kwame Dwomoh Agyemang on The Grandstand on Class91.3FM, the Member of Parliament for Tano North Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region said that Ghana has enough facilities to stage a successful tournament in the next seven months.

“We are hoping, if they [CAF] can give Ghana the opportunity to host AFCON again, we will be hosting about 24 countries. I believe that with the Accra Sports Stadium re-touched now, we have the Cape Coast Sports Stadium, we have the Essipong Stadium, which needs some renovation.

"In the Ashanti Region, we can talk of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, we can talk of Len Clay Sports Stadium.

“Speaking of training pitches, Paa Joe Sports Stadium can be used. We have Prempreh College. We have one at Opoku Ware [Senior High School]. In Accra, we have one at Achimota that can be worked on. El-Wak Stadium has been worked on, PRESEC Legon Park has been worked on.

“We have another stadium at Tamale, the Aliu Mahama Stadium. So, we can conveniently talk about six, seven or eight stadia that can host the tournament.

“There is no harm in trying. Even if we are given the opportunity to co-host, we would have moved from one level to another. I don’t see why the Normalisation Committee and, therefore, the Ministry of Youth and Sports can’t put in a try.”

Ghana has hosted four Cup of Nations in 1963, 1978, 2000 and 2008.