The National Sports Authority [NSA] has been taken to the cleaners over its decision to rent out the Accra Sports Stadium for a musical concert.
As reported by Adomonline.com last week, the NSA, in a communique sent to the Ghana Football Association [GFA], said renovation works will take place at the edifice, thereby, asking the FA to relocate games that were scheduled for the stadium.
According to the communique sent to the GFA by the NSA last week, works will be carried out from the 13th to 26th December.
“The National Sports Authority would like to inform the Ghana Football Association to postpone or reschedule league matches slated from Monday, 13th to Sunday, 26th December 2021 ostensibly for planned maintenance works at the stadium,” the statement said.
“The Authority deeply regrets the inconveniences this request will bring to the clubs.”
During that period, six Ghana Premier League games were set to be affected, with Hearts of Oak, who play their home matches at the Accra Stadium, forced to relocate to the Cape Coast Stadium.
Legon Cities, meanwhile, have settled for the El-Wak Stadium.
But barely a week after the NSA’s announcement, a Bank announced a week-long music concert to be staged at the stadium, starting Friday, December 17, 2021.
On Monday 13th December 2021, visuals emerged of the event organisers setting up a stage on the pitch in readiness for the concert.
Shockingly, the spokesperson for the NSA, Charles Amofah, speaking on Asempa FM last week defended the decision for the renovation after just six matches played into the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League campaign.
“We know our league is ongoing but we have to maintain the pitch,” he said.
“Greengrass Technology who are our consultants have been working on the pitch after every matchday but it is now prudent to shut the stadium for the next 14 days for maintenance to be carried out on the pitch,” he added.
Six games of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season will be affected by the closure.
- Matches to be affected:
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- Great Olympics vs Bibiani GoldStars
- Accra Lions vs King Faisal
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- Hearts of Oak vs Accra Lions
- Legon Cities vs Kotoko
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- Hearts of Oak vs Bechem United
- Legon Cities vs Accra Lions
Meanwhile, Ghanaians took to social media and criticised the decision of the NSA to rent out the edifice with many calling for the sacking of Prof. Peter Twumasi, who is the NSA boss.