Ghana's stadium crisis: Ex-GFA boss proposes private takeover

Former Ghana Football Association (GFA) chairman, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has called on the government to transfer the management of state-owned stadiums to experienced private organisations with a proven track record in sports facility management. 

According to him, this will ensure that the country’s investment in these facilities is properly managed and serves its intended purpose.

He was very critical of the managers of the nation’s sports infrastructure for the current stadium crisis which has left the Black Stars without a home venue for their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign, saying the National Sports Authority (NSA) had proven incapable of effectively discharging its mandate to manage the stadiums over the years.

Stadium defects

Last week the Confederation of African Football (CAF) withdrew the Baba Yara Stadium’s approval to host top-level international matches, following significant technical deficiencies observed during Ghana’s recent AFCON qualifier against Angola in Kumasi.

The continental football body deemed the stadium unsuitable for Category 3 international competition, citing poor pitch conditions, drainage problems, uneven surfaces, and insufficient grass cover — a decision that has raised fears that the Black Stars may be forced to play key matches abroad, as other major stadiums in Accra, Cape Coast, and Tamale have also failed to meet CAF’s stringent standards.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe further cited the current state of the Accra Sports Stadium (nicknamed Ghana’s Wembley) which has issues with the conditions of the pitch and the maintenance of other ancillary facilities like the toilets as evidence of the NSA’s inability to manage these facilities.

He argued that the nation’s struggle to maintain even a single stadium suitable for international matches was further proof that the NSA was not up to the task.

His sentiments were echoed by Raja Casablanca coach, Rusmir Cviko, who voiced concerns about the state of the pitch in Accra. During an interview with Max TV ahead of his team’s CAF Champions League second preliminary round clash with Ghanaian champions FC Samartex, Cviko stated that the poor pitch condition did not support his team’s possession-based style of play.

Proposed solution

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe’s proposed solution is to transfer the management of state-owned stadiums to private entities, whose responsibilities would include ensuring proper maintenance and upkeep, even down to providing clean toilets with a constant water supply, as required by CAF regulations.

He suggested that users may even be charged a fee for such improvements. "If you give it to a private enterprise to change the place, fix the toilets, ensure water supply, and even charge people for it, they would prefer that," he argued in an interview with the Graphic Sports.

As a director of Hearts of Oak, who play their home matches at the Accra Sports Stadium, he lamented the current state of football leadership in Ghana.

The veteran administrator questioned why a country with a rich footballing heritage and strong economic standing now finds itself without a single stadium approved by CAF to host key international matches.

"We deserve it," he remarked. "People have been complaining about the Accra Sports Stadium because no one can even use the toilets there. Even the lights in the VVIP section don’t work."

Reflecting on his time as GFA President from 2004 to 2005, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe pointed to the neglect of football infrastructure as indicative of broader failings in sports leadership. "When I was FA boss, CAF always found our stadiums in top condition during inspections," he recalled.

He justified the FA’s long-standing decision to host most international matches at the Baba Yara Stadium due to the fervent support it attracts, although that same stadium has now fallen from grace as a fortress for national teams.

Meanwhile, in a last-ditch attempt to avert disaster, the Ministry of Youth and Sports recently moved to have both the Accra Sports Stadium and the newly constructed University of Ghana Stadium inspected by CAF, proposing them as potential venues for the crucial October 7 clash between the Black Stars and Sudan.