By Ernest Bako WUBONTO
The Club Licencng Department (CLD) of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) has released its preliminary decisions on match venues submitted by Ghana Premier League (GPL) clubs for the 2024\2025 football season, approving only four of the 25 venues.
The remaining 21 are grouped into two: those with outstanding issues that requires urgent attention such as lavatory facilities and changing rooms, pitch quality etc., and those that are not satisfactory at all.
Surprisingly, the nation’s two major stadia – Accra Sports Stadium and Baba Yara Sports Stadium Kumasi – did not meet the approval standard, hence falling within the ‘outstanding issues’ group.
Furthermore, the University of Ghana Stadium – completed this year, 2024, for the 13th African Games and costing GH₵408million (US$34m) – did not meet the initial approval and is pending re-inspection on the 30th with hope that the needed shortfalls will have been addressed.
Others with the conditional approval status include Kpando Sports Stadium, Tarkwa TNA, Naa Sheriga Sports Stadium and the Nii Adjei Kraku Complex,
The CLD emphasised in its statement that after a thorough inspection exercise of the various venues submitted by clubs for category-three matches between August 8 to August 21, 2024, only four match venues – namely Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex, Nsenkyire Sports Arena, Bibiani Dun’s Park and the WAFA Park – were deemed fully approved for the upcoming season.
“The Department will conduct re-inspection for the affected clubs on 30th August 2024 before final decisions are taken,” CLD added.
Dr. Kwame Kyei Sports Complex, located at Abrankese near Kuntenase in the Bosomtwe district of Ashanti Region, is home to Nations’ FC. Nsenkyire Sports Arena is home to the reigning champions, Samartex FC, and located at Samreboi, Amenfi West district of the Western Region.
Dun’s Park hosts Bibiani GoldStars FC at Bibiani in the Bekwai Municipality, Western North Region, while Wafa Park in Sogakope, Volta Region, once served as home to WAFA, Accra Great Olympics and Hearts of Oak in previous seasons.
“The clubs have all received detailed reports and decisions of the inspection team and the necessary actions to be taken,” it stated.
Key among the 14 non-satisfactory/unapproved are Tamale Aliu Mahama Stadium, Nana Agyemang Badi I Park, Berekum Golden City Park, Sunyani Coronation Park, Hohoe Sports Stadium, Dawa Theatre of Dreams, Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park and Wenchi Town Park.
Others are Nana Kronmansah Park, C.A.M Park, Aiyinase Park, Tuba Astro Turf, AAK II Sports Arena and Akoon Park.
Sadly, the Nyinahin Stadium located in Atwima Mponua district, Ashanti Region – home to Isaac Asiamah, a former sports minister and current Member of Parliament (MP) for the area – was outrightly rejected, noting that the facility started in 2018 needs completion.
