Help Hearts, Kotoko, Faisal

- Ministry to ask GFA to urge CAF

Accra, March 19, GNA - The Ministry of Education and Sports is to ask the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to appeal to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to revise its calendar for this year's continental matches.

This, Mr O. B. Amoah, a Deputy Minister of Education and Sports said would enable the three Ghanaian football clubs in continental matches the use of the Obuasi Len Clay Sports Stadium conveniently. Hearts, Kotoko and King Faisal are scheduled to use the Obuasi Stadium due to the closure of the Ohene Djan and Baba Yara stadiums in Accra and Kumasi respectively, which are undergoing rehabilitation to host the African Cup of Nations (CAN) in 2008.

Mr Amoah stated this in a radio interview on Saturday, monitored by would have to play their matches between Fridays and Sundays, which could affect attendance and revenue.

According to the Deputy Minister, "it should be possible for the GFA to ask for either one or two of matches to be rescheduled" to galvanise national support for one club at a time.

He said the Sunyani Stadium, which would serve as the base of Ghana's fourth club, Berekum Arsenals in the Confederation Cup, was being refurbished at two billion cedis to met CAF standards as part of the nation-wide infrastructure development in preparation for CAN 2008. Over 7 billion cedis had been spent by the Ministry to protect community parks including those at Madina and Adenta from encroachments to encourage communities to own their own sports facilities to promote good health and recreation.