Relay of Accra Sports Stadium Tartan Tracks

A German Company is expected in the country by the end of this month to conclude talks with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to replace the Accra Sports Stadium tartan tracks.

Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku, the sector minister told GNA Sports in Accra on Wednesday that the German company is among companies, which have expressed their desire to undertake the project, estimated at eight billion cedis.

The tartan tracks at the Accra and Kumasi Stadium were last relayed in 1978 when Ghana hosted the Nations Cup.

The Minister said the German company would also be in charge of tracks for the All African Games in Nigeria slated for next year.He said the only Ghanaian competing with the predominantly foreign-based companies is Awet, which has already presented a sample to the ministry.

"At the moment these things are difficult because the ministry's annual budget is 23 billion and to take eight billion out of it for only tartan track puts us in a very tight corner," the minister said.

He said because of the low budgetary allocation, the ministry would have to look for other funding to relay the tracks adding that the poor nature of the tracks contributed to the dismal performance of the Ghanaian athletes at the just ended Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

The team's poor performance is being blamed on poor facilities.