SWAG calls for action on stadia renovation reports

Kumasi, May 8, GNA-Mr Ebo Quansah, President of the Sports Writers' Association of Ghana (SWAG) has called on the Ministry of Education and Sports to act in concert with the National Sports Council (NSC) to expedite action on the stadia renovation report and the Gbadegbe report on player transfer.

Mr Quansah, who was addressing the 30th annual One-Touch SWAG Awards ceremony at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi on Saturday, noted that the reports are "gathering dust" at the ministry for far too long.

He commended all the sponsors for the ceremony, especially the Ghana Telecom for sponsoring the event through One-Touch with special gratitude to Nestle Ghana for their kind donation of 35 million cedis to the association.

The SWAG president said sports in the country is not in the best of health, saying, "We returned from the Olympic Games last year without a medal. Next year this nation will compete in the Commonwealth Games in Australia. So far, there is no evidence that we are preparing to meet the challenge".

"Last year, there was a general euphoria when the 2008 African Bid Committee succeeded in winning the right to stage the African Cup of Nations in the country, but with barely two and a half years to the tournament, we still have not moved to the construction site yet", he added.

Mr Quansah said there is the need for concrete plans to get work and renovation of the Ohene Djan and Baba Yara stadia in Accra and Kumasi respectively started.

The association complained about the ethnic sentiments that were gradually creeping into sports promotion of late, stressing, "there is no place in sports for ethno-centric sentiments". "Sports know no colour. It only recognises achievements", he added.