Tema Sports Stadium is falling apart

The Tema Sports Stadium located at Tema Community One is yet to see any facelift, eight years after the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) cut sod for its reconstruction.

On December 4, 2012, the TMA led by the then Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Kempes Ofosuware, amidst funfair, cut sod with the promise to reconstruct the stadium into a 20,000 seating capacity facility with open roof panels.

It was also expected to have a scoreboard, loudspeaker, Olympic size swimming pool, children’s playground as well as a conference and lecture halls, in addition to public washrooms, media room, VIP stand, standby generator and modern ticket booths.

But eight years down the line when the Ghana News Agency visited the stadium, nothing had been done as the place remained the way it was when the TMA cut the sod.

The facility was constructed in the 1960s as a recreational centre for the fledgeling maritime and industrial city but later turned into a stadium, could only boost the FIFA astroturf pitch inaugurated in 2008.

Contrary to an expected 20,000 seating capacity, the GNA saw faded plastic chairs fixed onto benches at the stands with some broken with pieces dangling, fighting in vain the vagaries of the weather and forcing football fans to stand and watch matches.

There was no modern toll booth as promised as the old ones were non-functional so officials had to sell tickets at the entrance to the stadium while the washrooms were in a very deplorable state.

The GNA on one of its visit to the stadium, witnessed someone easing himself beside the toilet facility.

The walls of the dressing rooms had their painting peeling off, with dirty broken bathrooms which had no doors to secure the privacy of users.

Some workers at the stadium said supply of materials needed for the maintenance and management of the Tema Sports Stadium were not forthcoming.

They added that apart from the challenge of lack of enough workers at the stadium, “The wee boys, mostly come here on match days and smoke right here publicly leaving behind a lot of rubbish and mess for us to clean”.

Mr Gabriel Doku, Acting Head of Tema Sports Council, told the GNA that patronage of the stadium had gone down due to the state of the facility and the fact that no premier team was playing in Tema.

Mr Doku blamed the poor state of the seats on the unruly behaviour of some fans who tore them up when their team lost a match.

Mr Frank Asante, Tema Metropolitan Public Relations Officer, responding to the issue, said the company that was supposed to reconstruct the stadium was unable to find the needed funding as agreed with his outfit.

He, however, promised that the Assembly was exploring other alternatives to put up a befitting stadium with other recreational facilities.