Baba Yara stadium renovations: Delay threatens Kotoko’s Champions League plans

Kumasi Asante Kotoko have made clear their intentions of competing in next season’ CAF Champions League but what is however not clear is where they will be playing their matches.

This is because the Baba Yara Stadium which is the club’s traditional home is under locks and there is no indication that it will be opened soon.

The stadium was initially closed down in February to allow for renovation works ahead of the Independence Day anniversary celebration but the government decided to extend the period to allow for a complete refurbishment of the facility which had seen no major facelift after the 2008 AFCON.

In an interview in April this year, the Director-General of the NSA, Peter Twumasi assured that the facility will be ready for use by October.

Professor Twumasi said that the restrictions imposed as a result of the coronavirus did not affect works on the stadium.

“At the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the contractor was able to work on the facility before the 6th March anniversary celebrations. The contractor is still working and by October we expect him to be done with the work. If the lockdown does not affect his work we expect him to finish by October”, he told Happy FM.

But twenty days away from October and it looks quite unlikely that the refurbishment exercise on the stadium will be completed anytime soon.

Reports indicate that not much work has been done on the facility to indicate that by the end of this months, the Baba Yara Stadium will no longer be under locks.

The reports further state that even December will be too soon a month for the contractors to finish working on the project.

Before the league fell to the coronavirus pandemic, Kotoko played their home games at the Accra Sports Stadium.

With works on Baba Yara not finishing anytime soon, Kotoko may have to make do with the Accra Sports Stadium.

Kotoko alongside Ashgold are representing Ghana in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup respectively.

The competition is expected to commence in November.