President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has dismissed the Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Dodzie Numekevor, with immediate effect, according to Joy Sports.
The dismissal follows the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to revoke the Baba Yara Sports Stadium’s license for hosting international matches.
Reports suggest that the move was triggered by the decision to rent the stadium out for a six-day church event just before Ghana’s AFCON 2025 qualifier against Angola.
President Akufo-Addo reportedly held those responsible for the rental accountable and instructed Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif that he would be held responsible if Ghana had to play any home matches outside of the country due to venue issues.
Following this, Sports Minister Ussif, through his Chief Director William Kartay Caesar, questioned Numekevor, demanding an explanation for the embarrassment caused to the presidency and the country.
Numekevor had until September 18, 2024, to respond, but the President, dissatisfied with the state of sports infrastructure under his leadership, made the decision to remove him from office on Tuesday afternoon.
Before his dismissal, Numekevor had closed the Baba Yara, Accra, and Cape Coast stadiums for maintenance in response to mounting concerns over the deteriorating conditions of the facilities.
CAF had also recommended the reconstruction of the Baba Yara pitch and raised concerns about the poor state of the Accra and Cape Coast stadiums in a letter to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on September 10.
The GFA was instructed to select an approved venue outside Ghana to host Sudan for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, with Togo currently being considered as a backup option.
Numekevor had been serving as interim Director General of the NSA since February 26, 2024, after succeeding Professor Peter Twumasi, who held the position for six years.
Meanwhile, Ghana will clash with Sudan in a doubleheader of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. The Black Stars will host the Falcons at a yet-to-be-decided venue before travelling to play the second Group F game at the Al-Merrikh Stadium.
