The Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has welcomed the arrival of pitch covers intended to protect and preserve the quality of pitches during non-football events at national stadiums.
It was funded by a wholly Ghanaian-owned company, which embraced the NSA's request for private and corporate institutions and investors to facilitate the procurement of modern pitch protection systems earlier this year, in a remarkable display of national service and partnership for sports development.
Expected to significantly boost protection, reduce maintenance costs and improve readiness for hosting key events and competitions, the newly acquired pitch protectors, upon arrival in the country last week, were deployed to cover the Accra Sports Stadium turf last Friday ahead of a mega music concert headlined by local entertainment star Shatta Wale on Saturday.
"We can do well by using the pitch protectors to ensure that we preserve our stadiums. The Accra Sports Stadium is an old stadium in modern terms, but what we can do is to make use of the opportunities, the technology and logistics like this to ensure that the lifespan and benefits last longer," Mr Ankrah told the Graphic Sports at the Accra Sports Stadium last Friday.
"It's an experiment, I keep saying that. We are excited but we are also very cautious that once the concert is over, we will see what the results are for the rest of the season and other venues in other regions," he added.
Having previously labelled the Accra Sports Stadium a "crime scene" when he took over following appointment by President John Mahama in March this year, the NSA chief says engineers and experts are working on proposals for upgrades to the national edifice, an old venue which was renovated to host the 2008 African Cup of Nations, and other slight renovations and upgrades over the years.
Mr Ampofo Ankrah revealed that the Sports and Recreation Minister, Kofi Adams, is on top of that agenda with the guidance of engineers who will make a decision on what's best for Ghana's sports, what's best for the country and in the interest of all stakeholders.
