Some mmbers of Organised Labour were left with no option than to sit on broken and dusty plastic chairs at the deteriorating Baba Sports Stadium in Kumasi to participate in the 2018 May Day celebrations.
Some of the workers who spoke to Citi News called on the National Sports Authority (NSA), and the Ministry of Youth and Sports to quickly address the situation to save the facility from total collapse.
Most corners within the stands have become grounds for the dumping of refuse.
The washroom was a terrible sight to behold. Apart from the foul smell, water barely flowed through the pipes as the sinks appeared to be badly stained due to long neglect and no proper cleaning.
Thirty (30) Organized Labour Groups had gathered at the facility participate in the 2018 National May Day Celebration.
The event was on the theme “Sustainable Development Goals and Decent Work: The Role of Social Partners.
One of the workers who was dismayed at the nature of the facility said, “I am disappointed because this is a national facility and they should have fixed it. Looking around I can count about 500 broken chairs. I want the Government to renovate everything”.
Another worker said, “Actually, we are worried and we expect some renovations to be done here at the stadium”.
About the stadium
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium, formerly known as the Kumasi Sports Stadium in the Ashanti Region, was developed into a multi-purpose stadium for use during the 2008 African Cup of Nations which Ghana hosted.
It is currently Ghana’s largest stadium with a seating capacity of 40,528. However, its current state is one of a terribly maintained facility that lacks the capacity to be described as a standard sporting facility. Many of the seats in the spectators’ stand were broken, and can cause injury to sports patrons.
The stadium was originally built by the United African Company (UAC) in 1957, and inaugurated as a designated football pitch in 1959.
Its stands were constructed in 1971 before the entire stadium was rebuilt in 1977.
In 2004 under President John Agyekum Kufuor, it was renamed after Kumasi-born footballer, Baba Yara.
The last major work on the facility was in 2008 ahead of Ghana’s hosting of the CAN 2008 tournament.
Dignitaries who attend the May Day event included President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President, Dr Alhaji Mahammudu Bawumia, Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, Religious and Traditional leaders.
–
By: Hafiz Tijani/citinewsroom.com/Ghana