The Ashanti Regional Director of the National Sports Authority, Joshua Mensah, has been invited to Accra by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to explain comments that the Baba Yara Stadium would be closed to sporting activities on Saturdays to make way for funerals and other social activities.
In a statement signed by Deputy Sports Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, Joshua Mensah will be made to explain why “he should not be sanctioned for making public comments of such serious nature without authorization.”
Mr. Mensah had received a lot of public backlash after he indicated to journalists that, it had become necessary to rent the stadium out for funerals and other social activities to enable them raise funds to maintain the fast-deteriorating facility.
“Let me be honest with you, no football match will be allowed at the Baba Yara stadium henceforth because we don’t make enough money from the matches to maintain the facility and so henceforth the stadium will be given out on Saturdays for only funerals and other social activities,” he said.
Mensah also revealed that, his decision had the backing from the Director General of the NSA, Robert Sarfo Mensah.
“Even my National director is happy with the decision I have taken here. If we are not careful, we will one day be met with news of the closure of the Stadium for the lack of proper maintenance”.
Following the public outcry, the Director General of the NSA, Robert Sarfo Mensah, rejected the claims by his subordinate.
“Officially, the NSA has not taken any decision to ban football matches at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium. That is on record… no such decision has been made official so I call on all sports-loving Ghanaians and football lovers, the people who patronize our facilities on Saturdays, to disregard the directive. It is not official.”
See full statement below:
RE: BAN ON SATURDAY MATCHES AT BABA YARA SPORTS STADIUM
It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, certain comments and suggestions made by the Regional Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Ashanti Region to the effect that the Baba Yara Stadium may soon be closed to sporting activities on Saturdays in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.
This has generated some disquiet and apprehension.
Whiles I commend the D-G of the NSA for swift reaction in indicating that no such decision has been made and approved, I have directed that the Regional Director be invited immediately to Accra to explain why he should not be sanctioned for making public comments of such serious nature without authorization.
Signed
Pius Enam Hadzide
Deputy Minister
Poorly maintained Baba Yara stadium fast deteriorating
This comes on the back of a report by Citi News’ Hafiz Tijani who reported that sections of the stadium have almost been turned into a dump site with broken seats and stained bathrooms combining to give the stadium a generally repulsive smell.
It is currently Ghana’s largest stadium with a seating capacity of 40,528.
However, its current state is one of a terribly maintained facility that lacks the capacity to be described as a standard sporting facility.
About the stadium
The stadium was originally built by the United African Company (UAC) in 1957, and inaugurated as a designated football pitch in 1959.
Its stands were constructed in 1971 before the entire stadium was rebuilt in 1977. In 2004 under President John Agyekum Kufuor, it was renamed after Kumasi-born footballer, Baba Yara.
The last major work on the facility was in 2008 ahead of Ghana’s hosting of the CAN 2008 tournament.
Worrying state of Azumah Nelson Sports Complex
Citi News had early on reported on the Azumah Nelson Sports Complex, a multi-purpose sports facility for the national teams, which is now engulfed in filth, and has become an abode for reptiles including snakes.
Instead of grooming the next generation of sportsmen and women, the facility now has become a condemned piece of architecture good for refuse and reptiles.
By: Fentuo Tahiru/citifmonline.com/Ghana