Kumasi Asante Kotoko have taken the lead in putting the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in good shape ahead of their crucial continental matches.
The renovation, according to a source of the National Sports Authority (NSA), now rests solely on the shoulders of the Club instead of the NSA which is supposed to lead the exercise.
This came to light during a visit to the stadium by The Times Sports, on Monday.
According to the NSA staff who spoke to The Times Sports on conditions of anonymity, “Kotoko’s management, refusing to gamble with the CAF inspection standards, has independently launched a swift overhaul of the pitch.”
“This includes engaging Kumasi Technical Institute to reconstruct reserve benches—an effort visibly missing from the NSA’s mandate.
Secondly, the club has recruited personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) to water the pitch in the absence of essential logistics.
The state of the Stadium has become a matter of concern as Asante Kotoko and Bibiani Gold Stars prepare for their respective African club championship expected to take off soon.
Gold Stars as Premier League champions will lead the charge in the African Champions League competition with Kotoko as FA Cup winners competing in the CAF Confederations Cup competition.
Seasoned football analysts and fans alike are voicing outrage. The absence of coordination, the lack of urgency, and the apparent neglect raise serious questions.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI