Former Sekondi Hasaacas Chief Executive, Samuel Paa Kwesi Arbuah, has taken a sharp dig at the Government of Ghana and the National Sports Authority (NSA) following CAF’s decision to close the Baba Yara Stadium. In a sarcastic jab, Arbuah remarked, “The NSA is now free to organise all-night services all day and night, and we don’t care,” referencing the recent closure imposed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
This decision by CAF has sparked widespread criticism directed at the New Patriotic Party government and the NSA over their mismanagement of public assets, particularly sports infrastructure. Many Ghanaian football fans are outraged, especially after reports surfaced that the government spent $4 million on accreditation costs for the 2023 All Africa Games.
CAF’s decision to ban the Baba Yara Stadium from hosting international matches comes after years of neglect and mismanagement by both the Government and the NSA. This follows a string of technical violations observed during the Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier between Ghana and Angola on September 5, 2024. The stadium’s poor condition, including uneven surfaces, poor drainage, and inadequate grass cover, failed to meet CAF’s Category 3 standards for hosting top-tier international matches.
Arbuah didn’t hold back his frustrations, criticizing the authorities for allowing such a decline in the nation’s sports infrastructure. “It’s shameful and disgraceful that in 2024, Ghana lacks a standard stadium to host international matches. We pride ourselves on building several AstroTurf pitches, but look at us today. This is what we wanted, and we’ve gotten it,” he said in an interview with GHANAsoccernet.com.
He went on to mock the NSA further: “The NSA can now go ahead and organise all-night services every day. We don’t care. In fact, they (NSA and government) can ‘chew’ the facility for all we care.”
Arbuah also slammed the government’s claim of investing in sports infrastructure, noting that despite building several AstroTurf pitches, the country cannot produce a single stadium fit to host international matches. “We’ve been joking in this country for far too long. Countries are leaving us behind, and we keep playing chess with our infrastructure deficit.”
He expressed deep frustration over the current state of affairs, stating, “Today, for the first time in our history, Ghana, a country famed for football, will be playing an international match in another country. This is total madness, unwarranted, uncalled for, and disgraceful. We just have not been angry enough as Ghanaians.”
The issues at Baba Yara Stadium are part of a larger pattern of declining sports facilities across the country. CAF’s letter not only addressed the state of the Baba Yara Stadium but also pointed out previous warnings about the poor condition of the Cape Coast Stadium and Accra Sports Stadium. The deterioration of these venues raises concerns about the future of Ghanaian football and the ability to host international matches in the long term.
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