Akufo-Addo sacks NSA Director-General after CAF revokes pitch licence
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has sacked the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA).
Mr Dodzie Numekevor, in a letter from the President's Office, signed by Amb Nana Bediatuo Asante, Secretary to the President, was instructed to vacate his office on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.
Also, he was asked to hand said office over to the Chairman of the Governing Board of the NSA, Mr Seth Panwum.
The NSA Director General's sack comes after what sports journalist Gary Al-Smith captured on his X as "the disgraceful and unprecedented banning of Ghanaian stadiums from hosting Category 'A' football matches".
After a September 5 AFCON 2025 qualifier between Ghana and Angola, the coaches from both teams complained about the poor pitch of Kumasi's Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
After ending Ghana's 24-year undefeated home record in Kumasi with a 1:0 score line, Pedro Goncalves of Angola said: "We always tried to play football, but the pitch was difficult. A country like Ghana deserves a better stadium, a better pitch for football."
For Ghana's follow-up Group F match against Niger on September 9, the Black Stars travelled to Berkane, Morocco, to play. They drew 1:1.
In October, Ghana will face Sudan, a game which will be played in Togo.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) boss Patrice Motsepe has bemoaned poor football venues hold sports development back on the continent.
"There's nothing that frustrates me more than a national team or a football team of a country playing outside. You can't build football in any country in Africa if the national team or football clubs do not play in front of their nations," he said in Nairobi, Kenya, on September 16.
Meanwhile, going into the December 7 polls, the former NSA Director-General, Dodzie Numekevor, is the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Sege Constituency, Greater Accra region.
Trending Sports
Antoine Semenyo: Ghanaian forward named Bournemouth's Player of the Month
01:50Seek CAF approval for Accra, UG sports stadiums amid Baba Yara ban – Sports Ministry to GFA
14:22Stanley Quarshie: Ghanaian U-20 defender on trials at Chelsea
16:12GFA, FIFA conclude capacity-building prog for female football administrators
01:41GOC President Nunoo Mensah enstooled as Ga Nɔyaa Mantsɛ
08:30Man City's hearing for 115 charges begins
03:42Inaki Williams makes history equaling Athletic Bilbao assist record
18:25NSA's interim repairs hit Accra and Cape Coast stadia
15:28Patrice Motsepe: CAF Pres frustrated over subpar facilities forcing local national teams to play outside
03:40Akufo-Addo sacks NSA Director-General after CAF revokes pitch licence
09:10