Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif has voiced his frustration with the National Sports Authority (NSA) for their inability to adequately prepare the Baba Yara Stadium ahead of Ghana’s crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
The NSA’s decision to rent out the stadium for a five-day religious event, organized by the a Church in July, severely impacted the condition of the pitch.
This, just weeks before the Black Stars’ qualifier against Angola, resulted in a poor playing surface that drew widespread criticism after Ghana’s 1-0 loss at the venue.
In the aftermath, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) revoked the stadium’s license to host international matches, raising concerns that Ghana may have to play their next home qualifier abroad.
Minister Ussif expressed his disappointment, stating, “Of course, [the NSA failed in its duty] by its singular decision to rent the Kumasi Stadium for that program just before the Angola match.”
Renting out stadiums has been a major income source for the NSA, but the recent incident has highlighted the negative impact on the maintenance of the country’s national sports facilities.
The Sports Ministry has since issued a directive for the NSA to take immediate action to restore the pitch conditions at Baba Yara. Ghana now faces the challenge of getting another venue ready for CAF approval ahead of the Black Stars’ next AFCON qualifier against Sudan..
