The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, has warned that Ghana could lose the opportunity to host next year’s U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) if urgent improvements are not made to the country’s sporting facilities.
Ghana secured the hosting rights for the youth continental tournament as part of activities marking the country’s 70th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
However, concerns have been raised over the condition of some stadia earmarked for the competition, with calls for major renovations to bring them up to the required standards.
Speaking in an interview with TV3, Mr Adams stressed that upgrading the available facilities is critical to meeting the requirements of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Buem Member of Parliament cautioned that failure to improve the infrastructure could put Ghana’s hosting status in jeopardy.
“Ghana has gotten the bid to host the U-20 African Championship next year, but we cannot host these events if we don’t upgrade some of our facilities,” he said.
The Minister’s comments come amid ongoing discussions about the state of Ghana’s sporting infrastructure, with authorities expected to commence rehabilitation works on key venues ahead of the tournament.
The U-20 AFCON will offer Ghana an opportunity to showcase its football development structures, but the country’s readiness will depend largely on its ability to provide facilities that meet CAF’s standards.
