Sports Minister denies claims Ghana has no FIFA-standard pitch
By Lukman MUMIN, Accra
Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif has rejected claims that Ghana has not FIFA-standard pitches despite the Baba Yara Stadium ban.
Honourable Ussif also disclosed that the Confederation of African Football is yet to respond to their request for the Accra and Cape Coast stadia to be inspected as potential venues for the Black Stars’ next home game.
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium lost its license to host category 3 matches after CAF sighted technical infractions including ‘unsuitable playing pitch’ following Ghana’s game against Angola in Kumasi early this month.
The decision by CAF has left the four-time African champions in a hunt for a new venue.
Meanwhile, Honourable Ussif denied claims that Ghana has no FIFA-standard pitch, stating Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast are top-class facilities.
“It’s not that we don’t have FIFA-standard pitches in Ghana; we do have FIFA-standard pitches in Cape Coast, Accra, and Kumasi,” Ussif told Parliament’s Sports Select Committee on Tuesday, September 24.
“It is not true that we lack FIFA-standard stadiums in Ghana. It is up to CAF to decide.
“We have written to them to request an inspection of the Accra Sports Stadium and Cape Coast Sports Stadium, and they have yet to respond.”
The Black Stars will face Sudan in their next game in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at a yet-to-be-determined venue.
