Seth Panwum, the Board Chairman of the National Sports Authority, has proposed that one of Ghana’s national stadiums be reserved specifically for special events, particularly national team matches.
This recommendation comes in light of the Confederation of African Football’s recent withdrawal of approval for Baba Yara Sports Stadium to host Category Three matches.
As it stands, Ghana is forced to host its upcoming match against Sudan abroad due to the absence of a certified stadium within the country. Speaking before the Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports this Wednesday, Panwum emphasized the importance of having a dedicated venue to prevent the need for home games to be played overseas.
“The problem we face is the pressure on the facilities. If we had not closed down, teams like Accra Hearts, Accra Lions, Olympics, and Dreams FC would all be using the same stadium in a single week,” he noted. “This leaves no time for proper pitch maintenance and restoration before the next match.”
Panwum drew comparisons to other countries, suggesting that Ghana could consider adopting a model similar to Wembley Stadium in England. “If the government can raise the necessary funds, we could allocate different stadiums for our league clubs, thereby reserving the national stadium for the national team,” he added.
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