Audio By Carbonatix
CAF Media Officer Ibrahim Saanie Daara has described Ghana’s playing surfaces as “weeds” in reaction to the ongoing stadium crisis in the country.
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium, which hosted Ghana's recent game against Angola, has been banned by CAF due to an "unsuitable playing field."
This decision leaves Ghana with few options, potentially forcing them to host their next game against Sudan in October in Togo, Nigeria, or Ivory Coast.
"I am sorry to say that we've relied on local companies to deliver on what we call pitches but to be honest, a lot of what I have seen having officiated matches in Ghana compared to others, I would say what we have in Ghana are just weeds instead of pitches," Saanie told JoyNews.
"I find it baffling that in a country where we have most of the top class international inspectors, I don't know why we cannot count on the expertise of these people to give us the right advice.
"CAF is now being stringent on countries that don't have stadium suitable to host international matches. Those days when any wishy-washy pitch could pass is long gone. There are more than 15 countries now playing away from their home."
Meanwhile, the Ministry has instructed the National Sports Authority (NSA), responsible for facility upkeep, to address issues with the pitch at Baba Yara Stadium.
The deterioration of the turf resulted from a five-day 'Kumuyi' Church event held in July.
The NSA has relied heavily on renting national stadiums as a primary revenue stream, but this strategy has backfired, often leaving the facilities in poor condition.
Over the years, Cape Coast Stadium, Accra Sports Stadium, and Baba Yara Stadium have constantly fallen short of "required standards" due to being used for social events.
Latest Stories
-
Vice President honours Nkrumah’s photographer, Chris Hesse, for safeguarding national memory
5 minutes -
3 arrested for impersonating Speaker, IGP on social media
5 minutes -
BoG to tighten monetary policy in half-year 2026
13 minutes -
Parliament approves GH₵357 billion budget for 2026
19 minutes -
MAX and Bolt announce strategic partnership to power electric mobility and vehicle ownership in Ghana
36 minutes -
Greater Accra poultry farmers association says it was excluded from gov’t ‘Nkoko nkiti nkiti’ initiative
49 minutes -
Michael Adangba survives dawn road crash en route to Bolgatanga
54 minutes -
Court remands 40-year-old man for alleged murder
54 minutes -
AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi mine donates fire tender to boost emergency response in municipality
55 minutes -
Gov’t introduces sliding-scale mining royalties to capture price gains
1 hour -
Global Africa Summit Accra 2025 rallies investors, diaspora and policymakers to boost trade and growth
1 hour -
New research suggests a better way to fight littering in Ghana
1 hour -
UN-backed experts say Gaza food supplies improving but 100,000 still in ‘catastrophic conditions’
1 hour -
We must protect our own – Adutwum spokesperson calls for Ashanti solidarity
2 hours -
FDA shuts down 7 Foreign shops in Kumasi over unapproved, foreign-labelled products
2 hours
