CAF’s stadium ban on Ghana is a national embarrassment - John Mahama

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has said that the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) decision to ban the Baba Yara Sports Stadium is a disgrace.

He highlighted that it is unprecedented in the country's history for the Black Stars to be forced to play matches at neutral venues due to poor pitch conditions.

The former president attributed this situation to the government's failure to properly maintain stadium facilities, which led to CAF's ban on the Baba Yara Stadium.

During a campaign rally, Mahama criticised the Akufo-Addo administration, stating that it has failed the nation and should not be re-elected in the upcoming 2024 general elections.

"Recently, FIFA said the national team cannot play matches in Ghana. This is a huge embarrassment for us. It is the first time in Ghana's history that we have been told there is no suitable stadium to host Black Stars games. Despite this, they expect us to applaud them for their performance," he said in Twi, as reported by GhOne TV on X.

It is important to note that Mahama mistakenly mentioned FIFA, but it was actually CAF that made the decision.

About the Baba Yara Stadium ban

CAF withdrew approval for the Baba Yara Stadium due to issues such as an uneven playing field, poor drainage, and inadequate grass cover.

This decision followed the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifying match between Ghana and Angola on September 5, 2024.

In response, the Ministry of Youth and Sports has directed the Ghana Football Association to invite CAF officials to inspect the Accra Sports Stadium and the Legon Stadium to determine if they meet the requirements to host Black Stars games.

Watch the video below:

CAF's stadium ban on Ghana is a national embarrassment... - John Mahama #ElectionHub #EIBNetwork #GHOneNews #GHOneTV #NPP #NDC pic.twitter.com/F6wAGLNOcD

— GHOne TV (@ghonetv) September 16, 2024