Deputy Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Majeed Bawa, has sparked controversy with his response to Ghanaian football fans who voiced strong dissatisfaction over the poor condition of the Baba Yara Stadium pitch following Ghana’s 1-0 defeat to Angola in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
The Black Stars’ disappointing loss to the Palancas Negras on Thursday marked their first defeat in Kumasi in 24 years, and instead of heavily criticising the team or coach Otto Addo, fans and journalists turned their frustration towards the state of the pitch.
Many believe the poor surface significantly contributed to Ghana’s struggles.
However, Bawa Majeed dismissed these concerns, pointing out that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had approved the pitch for the match and sarcastically questioned whether Angola had played “in the sky.”
“Are they suggesting that the Angolans were playing in the sky? They are all footballers,” Majeed said in an interview with Asempa FM. “Both teams played on the same pitch, and CAF inspected and approved it for the game.”
Majeed went further, shifting the blame to Ghana’s technical team for their failure to make timely substitutions during the match. “We might not be coaches, but we understand football. Even the fans themselves were calling for changes by the 60th minute,” he added.
As the Black Stars look to bounce back, they face Niger in their next Group F clash on Monday, September 9, in Morocco. The team currently sits third in the group standings.
