The National Sports Authority (NSA) in Ghana has announced that the pitch at the Accra Sports Stadium will be completely barricaded for a mass prayer event led by Nigerian pastor Jerry Eze on November 7. The event, known as the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD) programme, will be confined to areas of the stadium away from the pitch. According to the NSA, not even a single footstep on the grass will be tolerated.
The decision to restrict access to the pitch comes just days before Ghana's national football team, the Black Stars, is set to face Somalia at the same venue in a 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying fixture. The Accra Sports Stadium is currently the only CAF-approved stadium in Ghana, and any damage to the pitch had raised concerns about its readiness for the international football fixture.
The NSA's Acting Director-General, Prof. Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, has assured the public that the pitch is undergoing a phased recovery programme. The programme began with fertilising, flooding, and growing the turf, and has now moved into mowing. According to Prof. Sarpong, about 80% of the field is green, except for one side, which is being fertilised.
The NSA's decision to restrict access to the pitch for the NSPPD event is seen as a test of whether crowd-drawing programmes can be held at the stadium without compromising its readiness for international football fixtures. The authority has been working to rehabilitate the stadium and ensure its readiness for the Somalia qualifier.
Ghana is currently facing a stadium crisis, with the Accra Sports Stadium being the only CAF-certified ground available. The stadium's condition had raised concerns after the Black Stars suffered a defeat to Gambia in September. The NSA has been working to address these concerns and ensure that the stadium is safe and ready for international football fixtures.
The NSPPD event, led by Nigerian pastor Jerry Eze, is expected to draw a large crowd. However, the NSA's restrictions on access to the pitch are aimed at ensuring that the event does not compromise the stadium's readiness for the Somalia qualifier. The authority has defended the venue's condition, pushing back against claims that the stadium was unsafe.
The NSA's efforts to rehabilitate the Accra Sports Stadium and ensure its readiness for international football fixtures are ongoing. The authority has outlined plans to rehabilitate five stadia nationwide within a year. The restrictions on access to the pitch for the NSPPD event are part of these efforts to ensure that the stadium is ready for the Black Stars' upcoming fixtures.
Key points
- The NSA has restricted access to the Accra Sports Stadium's pitch for the NSPPD event to ensure its readiness for the Black Stars' Somalia qualifier.
