Editor's Lens: The need for event venues, now or never!

On Monday, November 20, the management of the National Sports Authority (NSA) announced that the Accra Sports Stadium will be off-limits to sporting activities in December. 

The NSA's decision to shut the stadium to sporting activities is rooted in its recent strategic move towards revenue generation from non-sporting activities.

The Accra Sports Stadium has been home to many big events, especially in December, and already, some well patronised shows such as Stonebwoy’s Bhim Concert is scheduled to take place there.

As such, the recent development will certainly be praiseworthy for players in the creative industry since the decision by the NSA inures to their benefit as they would have the stadium as one of their venues for their shows.

Graphic Showbiz, however, thinks that the present happening should rather deepen the concerns of creatives about the challenges of the lack of suitable venues for events.

Lack of venues has been a pressing issue in the last few years with the likes of event organiser and team lead of Image Bureau, George Quaye, being very vocal about it.

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz a few months ago, George Quaye cited the National Theatre as the only venue “acoustically right” to host events in the country and as a result, the situation was forcing many event planners out of job.

It is not only disappointing but very embarrassing that a country like Ghana cannot boast proper event centres, and have to close down a major facility like the stadium to sport programmes for a month in other to host shows in December. 

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It must be mentioned that the closure of the nation's premier sports facility to sporting activities is going to affect Accra Hearts of Oak, Accra Great Olympics, Accra Lions and Dreams FC for their home games in both the domestic league and CAF inter-club competitions from next month.

Indeed, there’s nothing wrong holding concerts at the stadium but it is worth noting that keeping football clubs at bay to make way for December shows wouldn’t have happened if there were enough venues for creatives to showcase their craft.

Governments over the years have failed to see the urgent need to invest in event facilities, even though it is a viable and fruitful space that private organisations can also take up. The NSA’s decision should be a wakeup call to us all. It’s now or never!