Deputy Sports Minister Attack NSA

Deputy Sports Minister, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, has blamed the National Sports Authority (NSA) for the poor management of the four national stadia.

According to the Member of Parliament for Dormaa West constituency, the fast deterioration of the facilities at the four national stadia in Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi and Tamale has exposed the NSA to heavy criticisms as poor managers.

Aside the poor state of these edifices, the NSA also owes the Electricity Company of Ghana huge sums of debt for power supply to the four stadia leading to power cuts in recent times.

“The money that we make is what we use to maintain the facilities. This means the available revenue becomes difficult to manage the system. But in the midst of little resources we are expected to prioritize the expenses we have”, he told Starr FM.

Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry will soon employ the services of some private companies to manage the state properties.

Deputy Sports Minister Attack NSA

NSA Boss Rallies Support For Team Ghana Ahead Of Rio Games

The Director General of the National Sports Authority, Mr. Joe Kpenge has called on the general public to support team Ghana Ahead of the upcoming 2016 Olympic Games in Rio Dejenario. 

There has been wide spread calls from Ghanaian Sports lovers that the team should not go to the multi sports event as a result of failure to make any impact in previous editions.

But the National Sports Authority boss in an interview with Accra based Joy FM stated that, although he would have wished Ghana qualify more athletes, the public should back those that are going to represent the country.

“If we want to send athletes there, we want to send the best, if 15 or 20 are the best, who are medal hopefuls, then that is okay that we don’t send a large contingent there”, Mr. Kpenge said, adding that, “So if these can guarantee us some medals, some honor, so we should appreciate that.”

The Sports Authority boss further expressed worry over Ghana’s inability to send more athletes to the Global Showpiece.

NSA Boss Rallies Support For Team Ghana Ahead Of Rio Games

NSA Frustrated With Power Cut

The National Sports Authority (NSA) has expressed it’s frustration after the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) disconnected power to the Accra sports stadium Monday.

The electricity bills of the Accra Stadium remain outstanding for several months, and the ECG took the power out during its mass power disconnection exercise.

The power cut to the edifice has affected several activities at the stadium and the NSA boss has explained what has accounted for this unfortunate incident

“We rely on electricity to run everything, but by the nature of the stadium it will be difficult to stay in the offices without air condition,” he mentioned to Joy FM.

“We need light to write, light to run our computers to be able to process letters to those we communicate with.

“Our tenants, we have rented shops here, also need light to run their business. So work has come to a halt.” he said.

NSA Frustrated With Power Cut

Hearts v Kotoko Match Officials Warned

The National Sports Authority (NSA), Security Coordinator, Michael Smart Abbey has told officials who will oversee affairs on the pitch in the game involving Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko that security is dependent on officiating decisions of referees.

The game is expected to attract over 38,000 spectators to the Accra Sports Stadium, and security arrangements have been put in place to ensure sanity, before, during and after the game.

The Premier League Board and the referees selection committee is yet to appoint match officials for Ghana’s ‘El-Classico’, but the security expert is warning the men who will be mandated to lead the two teams to the turf.

“The referees association should help in orienting their members. They need to understand that security starts from officiating and so when they go there to do their work they should do it diligently with decorum.

“With the belief that I am doing this work to save the lives of people,” Mr. Abbey told Accra Starr FM.

The match will be the 103rd league fixture between the two most glamorous clubs in the history of Ghana football.

Hearts v Kotoko Match Officials Warned

NSA Sack Kotoko From Baba Yara Stadium

The National Sports Authority (NSA) has prevented Asante Kotoko from using the Baba Yara Sports Stadium for this afternoon’s training session.

The Porcupine Warriors used the facility for their training session this morning without approval from heads of the edifice.

They returned to the Stadium this afternoon to train, but the  NSA boss in the Ashanti Region, Iddrisu Richard denied them that opportunity.

Kotoko will head to their Adako Jachie training grounds, a place they refused to use earlier today in their bid to stay away from Coach David Duncan who was asked to step aside after their 1-0 league loss to Aduana Stars on Sunday.

Coach David Duncan, was at the Adako Jachie training grounds to oversee this morning’s training and promised to return to the ground this afternoon for training.

Kotoko officials changing the padlock of Adako Jachie training ground after Duncan had left.

Kotoko officials changed the padlock of the training pitch, but Board Chairman Paul Adu Gyamfi will call David Duncan before the team travels to the venue.

NSA Sack Kotoko From Baba Yara Stadium

Press Release: NSA Clears The Air On Ghana-Mozambique Match

It has come to the attention of the National Sports Authority (NSA), that some media houses are imputing misconduct to the Authority for errors in tickets, that were procured for sale for the recent Ghana Mozambique football Match.

The Authority would like to put on record that, it does not print or procure tickets that are sold for football matches. Procurement of tickets to be sold is the responsibility of the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The Authority is only responsible for complimentary tickets that are given to acknowledged officials like Ministers, MP’s in the select Committee of youth, Sports and Culture, NSA Board Members, Ghana Football Association and other officials.

Unless any complimentary tickets have been offered for sale, any problem with printing of tickets should not be blamed on the National Sports Authority.

SGD

MANAGEMENT

Press Release: NSA Clears The Air On Ghana-Mozambique Match

Brong Ahafo NSA Cited For Funds Mismanagement

It has been revealed that the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the National Sports Authority paid a total amount of GHS 13,120 in allowances to ten officers without any supporting documentation.

This was stated in the annual report of the Auditor-General on the Accounts of of Ghana- Ministries, Departments and Other Agencies for the year ended 31 December, 2014.

According to the report, these payments were made when no evidence was given to support that the staff had undertaken tasks in relation to their core duties at the National Sports Authority.

Article 15 (2) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NSA and the Public Service Workers Union of Ghana states that “a duty allowance of 20 percent of an employee’s basic salary should be paid if the employee performed functions in addition to his normal duties.”

But the report revealed that there was no proof to show that the staff really did work for the NSA for which they were paid the allowances.

The management of the Brong Ahafo office of the NSA was tasked to recover the amount from the ten people even though the NSA said that the monies were given as motivation for the staff and that had been the practice for the past three years.

The Auditor-General’s office, however, insisted that the money had to refunded and that the practice had to be stopped.

Such revelations have raised some doubts over the National Sports Authority’s constant complaints of not having funds at its disposal.

In recent times, the NSA has had financial problems and it has not been able to support various sporting federations.

But the details of the report prove that the NSA can boast of some funds although those funds seem to be geared towards they payment of allowances

Brong Ahafo NSA Cited For Funds Mismanagement

Pay For Stadia Maintenance - NSA Tells Clubs

The National Sports Authority of Ghana has told clubs to stop complaining about the poor facilities available for league and contribute to the maintenance of the various stadia.

Director of the National Sports Authority, Joe Kpenge, who is tired of the incessant allegations of the NSA renting the facilities for huge sums of l money without maintaining them, told the clubs to stop making unrealistic complains.

Mr. Kpenge also revealed that clubs are aware of the financial difficulties the sports authority is encountering, but keep blaming the NSA for the poor maintenance of the stadia.

“It’s not for the football clubs to just complain, they know we have difficulties and they pretend as if somebody from heaven should come and solve the issues with what resources,” Joe Kpenge told Accra-based radio station, Starr FM.

“If we should be earning from gate proceeds of 10% from matches and even they don’t get GHC 10,000 how can you maintain the pitches with this amount.

“Sometimes I think their complaints are unrealistic because they know the challenges of the Ministry and Authority, so they should also start contributing,”

There are reports that the National Sports Authority intend to sell the national stadiums to private institutions, but the National Sports Authority is not ready to comment on the media reports.

Pay For Stadia Maintenance - NSA Tells Clubs

Amateur Boxing Federation Seek Payment - Clarification

President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation Gideon Quartey has confirmed that they will seek clarification on monies they have been requested to pay by the National Sports Authority in an emergency meeting today.

He made the revelation after the Federation was requested by the NSA to pay an amount of GHC 1000 to enable them secure camping space at the Theodosia Okoh National Hockey Pitch.

The team currently shuttles between the Naval Base Gym and the D.G.

Hathiramani Hall of the Accra Stadium which is also used by the Table Tennis, Karate and badminton Associations as they seek to make the most of non residential camping ahead of their qualifier in Cameroon next month.

“I am yet to meet the authorities but the information we are picking up is that we are being asked to pay some money.

“We will meet them today to hear what they have to say but if we cant resolve the matter then we will have to find a place for them to stay,” he told Citi Sports on February 9.

The Black Bombers are expected to present 12 boxers in Cameroon next month as they seek to utilize their lifeline to qualify ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil after missing the initial qualifiers in Doha last year.

 

Source: Citi FM

Amateur Boxing Federation Seek Payment - Clarification

Tom Strand Slam Poor Accra Sports Stadium Pitch.

Medeama SC boss Tom Strand had mixed feelings after his side’s victory over AshGold in the FA Super Cup at the Accra sports stadium on Sunday. 

The Swede slammed the poor state of the pitch and warned that Ghana will continue to fail against the elite sides in the continent should they not develop their infrastructure.

The state of the pitch made it difficult for players to control the ball, and was unhappy with the condition despite the win.

“The pitch was bad and made a difficult game more difficult. I was asking my captain [Muntari Tagoe] about the pitch and he said the pitch was bumping and it was difficult to control the ball. When I seat behind by DSTV somewhere in Tarkwa and watching some leagues, the play go faster,” The MTN FA Cup winner told the press after the game.

“So if Ghana want to compete with the other countries they have to work on the infrastructure.” He added.

The Black Stars made clear their happiness about the condition of the pitch last when they weren’t preparing to host Comoros.

But it seems their cry fell on death ears and Tom Strand comments serves as a reminder that maintenance of of the little structures available will be key to the success of Ghana local football.

Tom Strand Slam Poor Accra Sports Stadium Pitch.

Is The Accra Sports Stadium Under Utilised?

In many parts of the world where football is played, maintaining a good natural grass pitch is challenging due to the combination of weather conditions, high usage hours and financial restrictions. Heat, cold and high humidity are negative parameters when a natural grass pitch has to be maintained to the highest standards, frequent matches and training sessions that take place on it.

 

 

Some middle-income economic countries find it difficult to create enough income through sponsorship or gate revenues so they therefore look for additional options to generate income.



Ghana through the National Sports Authority seems to have identified the opportunity to rent out their grass pitch of the Accra Sports stadium to football clubs, schools or other sport clubs (e.g. rugby) as the right way to go.

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The Accra sports stadium been readied for an event

The green grass layed at the Accra sports stadium is withering due to poor maintenance and the weather factors stated earlier but unlike the weather (natural course) which man has little or no control over the renting of the field for non-sporting activity seems to be the order of the day fetching the NSA huge sums of money.

 



As these revenues rake in one may ask why then does the pitch appear patchy instead of the natural green colour? Revenues derived from renting out the stadium should be used to maintain the stadium so why isn’t so then? The closest the grass comes to maintenance has to do with the water sprinklers watering the grass every morning and evening.

 

 

Is a football pitch meant to host sports activities – football games, rugby matches or just rake revenue for the NSA and left to ruin?

Is The Accra Sports Stadium Under Utilised?

Student Footballers Run Away From Sports College.

Technical Director of the Ghana Football Association Oti Akenteng has said that students admitted into the National Sports College at Winneba to play football have left the place.

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The former Black Stars coach who is the patron of the organization says was completely taken aback when he found out the student footballers absconded.

“I am still a patron of the place but I went there and I discovered that something strange was going on,” befuddled Oti Akenteng told Citi FM.

“I was unable to get to the root of the matter.

“Paa Kwesi Fabin is expected to tour the academy for young talents as part of his nationwide tour to recruit players for the Black Starlets.

“I am aware that Paa Kwesi Fabin will visit the school to have a look at the U-13’s that we established.

“I tried to investigate certain things to ensure that he would not be found wanting when he arrived.

“My discussions have led me to the conclusion that most of the kids that were brought in are out.

“I was unable to question the director in charge before he was unavailable.

“I found out all this accidentally when I visited to observe the GUSA games,” he revealed.

The academy has churned likes Samuel Inkoom and Bright Lukman.

Student Footballers Run Away From Sports College.