Work starts on Accra Stadium North Stand next week

Work at the North Stand of the Accra Sports Stadium is likely to begin by next weekend.

The stand has remained closed for the past seven months following the May 9 disaster, which caused the death of 126 soccer fans during a league match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.

Mr Edward Osei Kwaku, Minister of Youth and Sports on December 18, accompanied by two consultants, Akuffo and Associates and the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) inspected the stand.

According to Dr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, acting Chief Executive of the National Sports Council (NSC), it has received the drawing from Akuffo and Associates, which will be forwarded to the Greater Accra Regional Tender Board.

He said the Regional Tender Board would be responsible for the selection of the contractors who have expressed interest in the execution of the rehabilitation work. The work, which is mainly on the expansion of the stairways to ensure easy passage and accommodation of as many people as possible would also include re-fixing of seats at the stand.

Dr Owusu-Ansah noted that the work is expected to be completed before the champion of champions clash between Hearts and Kotoko at the Stadium.

He hinted that the NSC was in contact with sculpturists at the University College of Education Winneba (UCEW) and the College of Art at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to design a beautiful monument in honour of the departed souls of last year’s May 9 disaster.

The acting NSC boss stated that it is his outfit’s aim to erect a lasting monument at a conspicuous spot at the stadium to remember the lost soccer fans. “My management team believes in quality and it is for this reason that we want to put in place in a monument in the form of a bronze, which would last for generations.”

Such monument, Dr Owusu-Ansah added will be completed before May 9 this year, and Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko will play a special match to commission it.

Dr Owusu-Ansah who was the former deputy chief executive of the council said he has always cherished the aspiration of changing the face of the NSC and this he believed would be achieved with good teamwork and effective leadership.