The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has clarified that he had no involvement in the decision to prohibit sporting activities at the Accra Sports Stadium in December.
The decision was communicated National Sports Authority (NSA), which led to the stadium hosting social events, including Stonebwoy’s reportedly sold-out BHIM concert, instead of sports events.
This decision forced Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics to move their home games to Kumasi, with Hearts of Oak losing their Super Clash against Kotoko at the Baba Yara Stadium.
Togbe Afede, the board chairman of Hearts of Oak, criticised the decision, saying, “Somebody wakes up and suddenly closes up a sports stadium for a concert. What kind of reasoning is this? When you raise the money to maintain the stadium for what event? Sports or more concerts.
“What is the logic here? But we sit down and not complain. Why are we afraid of the truth? Personally, it stinks and makes me ashamed that a stadium can be closed in favour of a concert while the Ghana Premier League is in action.”
In response to questions from the Public Accounts Committee on Monday, February 5, the Minister denied playing a role in the decision/
He said, “The main purpose of our sporting facilities is for us to use those facilities to develop talent and also for competitions whether national or international.”
He further explained, “No, I did not authorize the closure of the sports stadium in December. I am aware the stadia was closed and I did call him (NSA Director-General Peter Twumasi) to ask.”
“My major concern was the pitch. Even though the NSA by law is the authority having the powers to manage all the sporting facilities for us and to ensure they are in good shape, once we have a major tournament coming; the Africa Games and we have also the Premiership ongoing, my major concern is how much we are getting from these social events that we are giving out these facilities to.”
According to the Minister, he has discussed the issue with Peter Twumasi, the Director General of the NSA, and requested that renting out the stadium for social events should stop.
“It’s something that I have engaged the Director General on that going forward this should not be done because at the end of the day whatever you get from these social events might not be able to maintain the pitch,” he emphasised.