Kumasi, March 26, GNA - The Parliamentary Select Committee on Youth, Sports and Culture has expressed satisfaction with the strict maintenance regime at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi. Members of the Committee expressed this after they inspected the facility on Friday in Kumasi.

Mr Stephen M. Ackah, Chairman of the Committee, however expressed problem about the lack of maintenance culture in the country but said they were highly impressed from what they saw at the stadium. He therefore encouraged the National Sports Council (NSC) to work closely with the District and Municipal Assemblies to undertake frequent maintenance and environmental exercises at the facilities and to encourage the unearthing and development of sports talents at the grassroots level. The Committee had already toured the Essipong Stadium at Sekondi in the Western Region and inspected the on-going Cape Coast stadium project. They are scheduled to also visit the Tamale Stadium in the Northern regional capital.

Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, a Ranking member of the Committee, said it was heart-warming that Baba Yara in Kumasi has all the basic facilities and called on the workers to ensure that the facilities are kept in good condition at all times. Mr Francis Kpesenu, Ashanti Regional Sports Development Office, however said that there are serious problems with the elevators, sprinklers and flood-light bulbs but they were working around the clock to get them fixed.

He said the Gymnastic Hall was ready for use but is yet to be connected with power to ensure its use. Mr Kpesenu said plans are advanced by the NSC to build a hotel and to fence the Regional hockey pitch at the stadium and therefore called for financial support frtom other stakeholder from the region. The Stadium was rehabilitated by Consar, an Italian construction firm for the CAN 2008 competition.