Mustapha Ussif and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
The Ministry of Youth and Sports has responded fiercely to what it describes as an attempt by the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to discredit comprehensive structural work done on two national stadia in Accra and Kumasi.
Following the Confederation of African Football's decision to withdraw approval of the Kumasi Sports Stadium as a Category C match venue, due to the recent poor state of the pitch, Okudzeto Ablakwa published a number of contracts awarded to renovate the Kumasi and other national stadia and questioned work done if there is no suitable pitch.
The Ministry has, however, labelled Okudzeto's assertion "disingenuous", pointing to the fact that the renovation works started in phases in 2017, and since then, in the past six years, Ghana has hosted all of its international matches here and has also hosted international football tournaments.
"The statement by the MP sought to create the impression that monies were wasted without work done. However, it should be noted that FIFA/CAF Category 2 and 3 matches, including the 2018 AWCON, the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, the 2022 World Cup and 2023 AFCON qualifying matches were played at both the Accra and Baba Yara Stadia respectively. The recent 13th African Games, Accra 2023 football competition matches were also played at the Accra and Cape Coast stadia," said the statement.
"The publications by the MP sought to mislead the public that all these monies were paid without the corresponding work done, following recent issues with the Baba Yara pitch. Below is, however a list of the scope of renovation works done on the Accra, Baba Yara and Essipong stadia, ' the statement added, as it gave a detailed background to dangerous defects at the stadia, particularly the Accra stadium, as well as the full scope of work done to various sections of the Accra, Baba Yara and Essipong stadia, which is ongoing.
While admitting the poor state of the Baba Yara pitch, which was caused by social activities on the pitch after the National Sports Authority, rented it out, the Ministry said it is wrong for Okudzeto to use the state of the pitch to insinuate that no work was done, when the stadia were left in complete ruins by the erstwhile NDC Government, between 2009 and 2017, which Okudzeto was a member.
"It is disingenuous for the Hon Member of Parliament of North Tongu to use the recent state of the Baba Yara Stadium to create the impression that no work has been done at the aforementioned national stadia."
"It is also important to stress that, between 2009 and 2017, the erstwhile government, of which the Hon. MP was a member, did not carry out any major renovation on the Accra, Baba Yara and Essipong stadia."
