Ghana Beach Soccer arena destroyed by floods

The recent rain storms and subsequent floods that hit most parts of the Ghanaian capital Accra, did not spare the country’s fastest growing sport Beach Soccer.

Just four weeks to the commencement of the new season, the temporary arena that has been home to the Championship and Division 1 leagues has been battered by two consecutive tidal waves in the space of a week.

A visit to the site by Beach Soccer officials revealed the extent of the damage. Pitch hoardings, logistics container, semi – permanent stands and the area allocated for teams to warm up and change have all been destroyed. In addition, the large car park area remains waterlogged.

The acting vice president of the Ghana Beach Soccer Association, Mr. Fred Afful stated that the recent torrential rains have caused maximum damage at the arena and the La Township.

“Every year we witness some level of flooding here in La, which normally coincides with the tidal waves from the sea but this year has been one of the worst I can remember.”

Meanwhile the managers of the site, Laboma Organization, will hold an emergency meeting with all stakeholders to address the current situation.

It is expected that the Ghana Beach Soccer Association, La Traditional Council, La Youth Clubs Association (Layoca), Ghana Coastal Communities Project, Ghana Volunteers Brigade, the Member of Parliament for the area and other community leaders will join forces to rehabilitate the venue.

The Protocol officer of Ghana Beach Soccer Association, KusiAwere Gyamfi, has also hinted the pre - season sanitation workshop and clean-up exercise would be expanded to include more stakeholders and forces in the La Township this time around.

“We have been holding workshops, seminars and cleaning the Beach Soccer arena since we started the league in 2011 but I think this time around we will go all out to make it the biggest exercise ever witnessed.”

Meanwhile the Ghana Beach Soccer Association is expected to go to congress next week ahead of the massive sanitation workshop.