The Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, has questioned Ghana’s investment in football infrastructure following public criticism over the condition of the playing surface at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
His comments come after viral images and videos showed groundsmen carrying out maintenance work on the Kumasi-based stadium’s pitch using methods that sparked widespread criticism and debate on social media.
Responding to the backlash, Ampofo Ankrah defended the work being undertaken, insisting that no recognised pitch maintenance expert had criticised the techniques being used.
He, however, acknowledged that Ghana requires more modern equipment and improved resources for maintaining football facilities, but maintained that the methods used by the grounds staff were not fundamentally flawed.
“The method, the mode that was captured, that has gone viral, that everybody’s talking about, and even some are coming up with incredible theories and all manner of things,” he shared on Facebook.
“Thankfully, so far, not one single expert, that is whether horticulturalists or agriculturalists or anybody, pitch expert, has come out to say actually what they were doing on that pitch was wrong. What they’re saying is that we need to get better modern tools, and I totally agree.”
He suggested that the footage may have been shared to provoke public anger but believes it has reignited an important national conversation about sports infrastructure.
“But the reality is what we’ve seen, albeit somebody mischievously captured and put it on social media, obviously intending to cause harm and anger or rage or whatever you want to call it.
“Maybe that has worked to an extent, but what it has also done is to open up that debate again as to what on earth are we investing monies we get from the World Cup in from 2006 to 2026.”
Ampofo Ankrah questioned how Ghana has utilised the financial rewards earned from participating in successive FIFA World Cups since 2006, arguing that the country has failed to make adequate investments in developing and maintaining quality football pitches despite persistent concerns over playing surfaces.
Meanwhile, the NSA has explained that the Baba Yara Sports Stadium pitch has gradually become overrun with invasive weeds and unwanted grass species since it was regrassed six years ago.
According to the Authority, although routine weed control has been carried out over the years, the current off-season provides the best opportunity to undertake a comprehensive renovation aimed at restoring a healthy and uniform natural grass surface.
The renovation programme includes selective weed control using approved herbicides, mowing the pitch to the recommended height, manually removing weeds, applying specially selected alluvial sand to improve drainage and level the surface, and reseeding renovated areas to encourage healthy grass growth.
The NSA stressed that the exercise forms part of a planned preventive maintenance programme and is being conducted in accordance with internationally recognised best practices for natural grass pitch management.
