“We are going to see a massive improvement in the sporting facilities in the country, where there would be upgrades on the existing sporting facilities, as new ones would be built.”
These were the words of Ghana President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo when he delivered the State of the Nation Address back in 2019. Two years into his government, the president, through the Youth and Sports Ministry and the National Sports Authority, has demonstrated commitment to taking Ghana’s sports infrastructure to the next level.
This dedication had been characterized by a major upgrade of sporting facilities across the country and the construction of new ones as hosting of the 2023 African Games beckons. Under former sector ministry Isaac Kwame Asiamah, the ministry embarked on building ten (10) multi-purpose youth centers, which were sighted to be completed by the middle of 2020 . The essence of this uplift was to offer accessible infrastructure to unearth talent across the country.
The Ghanaian sports fraternity, who have long bemoaned the lack of adequate multi-purpose sports infrastructure, citing the need as a major setback in the development of sports, have begun breathing a sigh of relief as Ghana charts the path of greatness in the arena of sports excellence.
Although there is a spread of talent all over the country, certain groups have not been readily reachable because of the lack of infrastructure to discover these talents. In this regard, the importance of the availability of sports facilities cannot be underemphasized. Upon assuming office in 2017, the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) government decided to use its manifesto specifically on sports as a roadmap to enact these infrastructural policies.
Initially, the sport infrastructure policies were described as vague and unattainable. Curiously, these comments were seemingly the handy works of detractors of the party.
Not discouraged, the Asiamah-led Sports Ministry and the Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Prof. Peter Twumasi, took up the challenge and marshaled their teams to work in line with the president’s vision. Within a short interval, an approval was given for the construction of ten (10) FIFA approved stadia in the country.
These standard stadia are multipurpose as they have other sporting facilities, including but not limited to tartan tracks, basketball courts, lawn tennis, swimming pools and others. In addition, the provision of these infrastructure in areas such as Dunkwa on Offin, Yendi, Navrongo, Axim, and Dorma Ahenkro clearly highlights the plan ensuring facility decentralization and accessibility at not only the regional level but also in lower areas of the country.
In the last four years, Ghana has seen an unprecedented increase in the number of sporting facilities. There has been the construction of about 30 AstroTurf stadiums across the nation. Six (6) of these are located in the Ashanti region, one (1) in Bono region, Western region has five (5). The Upper East region has three (3) and there are three (3) in Central region as well. Volta region has two (2), Savannah region has one (1), Greater Accra has five (5), Northern region has one (1) while Eastern region has two (2). The newly constructed astro turf at New Fadama in Accra named after the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu is worth mentioning as well.
It is important to add, Ghana had only three (3) Astro turf stadiums before this government assumed office in 2017; Tema stadium, Nduon stadium and the McDan stadium. All these stressed the point that, there has been vast improvement in the last four years with regards to sports infrastructural development.
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The WA Multipurpose Sports Stadium is one of the newly-built facilities. The remaining nine (9) are the Novrongo Sports complex in the Upper East, Yendi Sports complex in the Northern region, Nyinahin Sports complex in the Ashanti region, Koforidua Sports complex in the Eastern region, Dunkwa-On-Offin Sports complex in the Central region, Axim Sports complex in the Western region, Dormaa Sports complex in the Brong Ahafo region and the Nwunu Sports complex in the Volta region. The reconstruction of the Azumah Nelson Sports Complex in the Greater Accra region needs to be highlighted as well as the renovation and operation of the Theodosia Okoh National Hockey Stadium.
These centres boast of FIFA standard pitches, an 8-lane athletic oval, a 40-metre long jump runway with a takeoff board , multipurpose courts (tennis, volley, handball, etc.), spectator stands, hotel units, IT hubs, shops and restaurants.
All these have happened at the time Ghana prepares to host the 13th African Games, the nation’s first time of taking on the event. These projects have been carried out through the National Youth Authority, whose board approved the contract and the contract sums. The remaining six (6) newly-created regions will soon have their share as facility sites have already been explored for the purpose.
The monumental achievement of sports infrastructure in the last four years by this government has been met with commendations from stakeholders, including the media, sports personalities, and the youth, as well as football administrators who are great admirers of the initiative. To them, the first step in ensuring excellence in sports is the wide provision of sports facilities.
Noteworthy, Ghana produced an impressive show at the 2019 African Games in Morocco where the country won a total number of 13 medals, including a much-talked-about gold medal in the men’s 4x100m relay (team: Sean Safo-Antwi, Benjamin Azamati, Martin Owusu-Antwi & Joseph Paul Amoah). With this performance in Rabat, Ghana improved its ranking position by 5 points, moving from 20th in Brazzaville, Congo to 15th. Hence, there is every indication that Ghana will win more medals when it hosts the 2023 version, owing to the numerous accessible sports facilities built across the country.
According to the National Sports ACT, 2016 (ACT 934), the National Sports Authority, in collaboration with the Sports Ministry, have the duty to ensure the establishment, development and management of public sports infrastructure required for building national teams. This provision has been fairly met as a result of the dynamic sports infrastructural development the country has witnessed. Hence, this article cannot be brought to a conclusion without underscoring the important role of the Twumasi-led Sports Authority.
“NSA pledges that we’ll ensure the regular maintenance of these facilities based on the manuals that have been directed by Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah for all stadiums and facilities that we have across the country and ensure that these facilities are being operated in a sustainable manner,” the NSA boss made this assurance at the sod-cutting ceremony for the renovation of the Nkawkaw Stadium in the Eastern Region last year.
In 2018 when Prof. Twumasi assumed office, the then sports minister Hon Isaac Kwame Asiamah charged him to fix challenges and put up routine maintenance schedule to ensure the durability of these facilities. Since then, there have been several renovation works at the Essipong Stadium, Kaneshie Sports Complex, the famous Accra Sports stadium, the Kumasi Baba Yara Sports Stadium and others to meet ultramodern standards.
“The investment in infrastructure by the NPP government over the last three years has been massive. I dare say our investment in infrastructure, our infrastructure record, is second to none for any government in its first term under the Fourth Republic”.
These were the words of Ghana Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia during the Town Hall Meeting and Results Fair program held in August 2020.
As someone who is really enthused about sports, I’m hopeful that, the tone that has been set to make sure Ghana competes keenly both on the continental and world stages to yield positive results.
By: Stephen Afful/YFM
