Sports Ministry defends national stadia renovations after criticism

Sports Minister Mustapha UssifThe Ministry of Youth and Sports has rejected accusations from North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who questioned the use of public funds in national stadium renovations.Ablakwa’s comments followed CAF’s decision to withdraw approval for the Baba Yara Stadium due to the poor condition of its pitch, despite the Ministry’s contracts to improve various stadia across the country.In a detailed response, the Ministry called the MPs criticism disingenuous, emphasising that significant work has been done on the Accra, Baba Yara, and Essipong stadia since 2018.”It is unfair to use the state of the Baba Yara pitch to question the scope of renovation work done on these facilities,” the Ministry stated.The Ministry further explained that the Accra Sports Stadium had been labelled a “death trap” before extensive renovations were undertaken, which allowed the stadium to host major events like the 2018 Africa Womens Cup of Nations and the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.The statement also noted that the Baba Yara and Accra stadia have successfully hosted multiple CAF and FIFA-certified matches since the renovations, underscoring the importance of the work done.They concluded by pointing out that no major renovations had been carried out between 2009 and 2017, during which time the stadia fell into disrepair.The Ministry insisted that Ghanas national stadia now meet international standards, contrary to the MPs claims.