Local government expert, Mr George Kyei-Baffuor, has urged government to reverse the name of the Accra Sports Stadium to the Ohene-Djan Sports Stadium. According to Mr. Kyei-Baffuor, it was unlawful for the Mayor of Accra to unilaterally change the name of the facility which is a national asset. The Kufuor administration, decided to re-name the Accra and Kumasi Sports Stadia after sports heroes. It re-named the Kumasi Sports Stadium after former Black Stars player Baba Yara and the Accra Sports Stadium after renowned sports administrator Ohene Gyan. But in 2009, the Chief Executive of Accra Metropolitan Assembly, led the Assembly to change the name of the Ohene-Djan Sports Stadium to its original name, Accra Sports Stadium. This, Mr. Kyei-Baffuor described as unlawful. "The Accra Sports Stadium, or various stadia in this country are under the jurisdiction of the National Sports Council and for that matter are state assets...it is only Parliament that has the necessary legislation to effect a naming", said Mr Kyei-Baffuor. His comments come on the back of recent attempts by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to rename the "Theodesia Okoh National Hockey Pitch" after late President John Atta Mills as part of activities to mark his one year anniversary - an action which received numerous condemnation. The Presidency subsequently issued a statement asking the AMA to rescind the decision to rename the Hockey Stadium. He said although LI 1589 (amended), which is the relevant Legislative Instrument dealing with the matter, states the Assembly on its own can also set up a Committee to identify areas for naming or re-naming, the caveat is that the Assembly is limited in naming or renaming state assets. In the wake of the death late President Mills, the Accra High Street was renamed John Evans Atta Mills High Street by AMA. Also, in Cape Coast a street linking Cape Coast Castle to Mfantsipim Junction was renamed President John Atta Mills Street by the paramount chief of Cape Coast, Omanhene of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osaberema Kwesi Arthur. But Mr George Kyei-Baffuor stated "the Assembly cannot name streets that fall within the Ghana Highways Authority". The Assembly, however, can name streets, urban roads, town roads or feeder roads within its jurisdiction but not roads under the Ghana Highways Authority because "those are state assets", the expert emphasised. Making reference to the renaming of the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium to Accra Sports Stadium by the AMA, he said although it was wrong, the Ministry of Local Government looked on unconcerned. "No wonder a lot of MMDCEs [Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives] are being rejected after renomination because the people [the MMDCEs] do not want to study, they do not even understand the system over which they are presiding and everything is haywire", he said. Ensuring full compliance Mr Kyei-Baffuour believes if MMDCEs understand the operationalisation of the laws of decentralisation, it would help curb the unlawful naming and renaming of state assets after a person or groups of persons. "For instance the regional coordinating council, has coordinating, monitoring and evaluating responsibilities over assemblies", saying they must step up efforts to ensure the Assemblies comply with the decentralisation process. He expressed doubt about the effectiveness of the Regional Coordinating Councils and the Ministry of Local Government in undertaking their oversight responsibilities over the Assemblies and blamed that for the several instances of unlawful naming of state assets. He also bemoaned the politicisation of the decentralisation process, observing it is also the cause for some of these unlawful naming of state assets.