Essipong Sports Stadium needs urgent attention - Sports Minister Kofi Adams

The Essipong Sports Stadium in the Western Region, a key sporting facility built in 2008 for the African Cup of Nations, is in a state of serious deterioration.

This was revealed during an inspection conducted by the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams and the Director General of the National Sports Authority, Mr Yaw Ampofu Ankrah.

The stadium, with a capacity of twenty thousand spectators, has not undergone significant rehabilitation since its construction, raising concerns about its current condition and suitability for hosting sporting events.

The planned rehabilitation for Phases I and II included reroofing with anti-rust materials, replacing seats, refurbishing washrooms, installing air-conditioning systems, fitting sunglasses, lighting system, and installing of a new scoreboard.

It was observed that private developers have taken over the land on which the stadium is situated, posing a significant challenge. In response, Hon. Adams called on the Regional Coordinating Council and local chiefs to intervene and address these land issues.

In addition to these upgrades, there are plans to further improve the stadium by refurbishing the playing pitch, upgrading public address systems, enhancing corporate boxes, hostel facilities, security zones, and dressing rooms areas not covered in the initial contract. These efforts aim to fully restore the stadium’s capacity to host sporting activities and events.

Hon. Adams emphasised the urgent need for funding to support the maintenance and development of sports infrastructure across Ghana. He appealed to the media to back the initiative to generate revenue through the National Sports Development Fund, stressing that the government is committed to giving the sports sector serious attention, as reaffirmed by President John Dramani Mahama.

While inspecting the facility, Hon. Adams expressed satisfaction with the quality of work completed so far but voiced disappointment over the slow progress of work. He underscored the importance of accelerating the work to ensure the stadium is fully functional soon.

Hon. Adams assured that urgent measures would be taken to make the stadium operational in the shortest possible time, reaffirming the government’s commitment to revitalising sports infrastructure nationwide.

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