The decision by President John Dramani Mahama to dissolve the 15-member governing board of the National Sports Authority (NSA), chaired by Dr. Fred Awaah, as part of a broader shake-up of state-owned enterprise boards, presents an important opportunity to reset Ghana’s sports administration.

As preparations begin for the reconstitution of a new board, the incoming leadership must confront an urgent and non-negotiable responsibility: making the refurbishment, rehabilitation, and sustainable maintenance of Ghana’s existing sports infrastructure a central priority.

For decades, Ghanaian sports has been celebrated for its abundant talent, while the facilities needed to develop that talent have suffered neglect. From national stadia facing structural and maintenance challenges to community pitches left to deteriorate, the condition of the country’s sporting infrastructure requires a decisive change in approach.

The next NSA board must move beyond routine bureaucracy and cosmetic interventions. It must strongly advocate for the rehabilitation of existing facilities, work closely with the Ministry of Sports and other government agencies to mobilize resources, and establish systems that ensure rehabilitated facilities are properly maintained.

The Current Reality: A Landscape of Structural Decay

The condition of Ghana’s major sporting facilities demonstrates the urgency of the situation. Stadia such as the Accra Sports Stadium, Essipong Sports Stadium, Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, and Baba Yara Sports Stadium have, at various points, faced public scrutiny, temporary closures, and concerns about their suitability for hosting major sporting events.

Years of deferred maintenance have left some facilities requiring significant intervention. Leaking roofs, faulty floodlights, deteriorating seats, poor drainage systems, aging tartan tracks, and other infrastructure challenges continue to affect Ghana’s ability to host major competitions.

The problem extends beyond the national stadia. Regional and community sporting facilities frequently struggle with overgrown pitches, broken perimeter fences, inadequate sanitation, and poor maintenance. This limits opportunities for local clubs, school competitions, and grassroots talent development.

When athletes are forced to travel long distances or train in unsuitable environments because facilities are unavailable or unsafe, the entire sporting development system suffers.

Refurbishment Over Vanity Projects

One of the major challenges facing successive sports administrations has been the tendency to focus on grand, capital-intensive construction projects while existing facilities deteriorate.

For a developing economy facing competing fiscal demands, constructing new facilities without establishing a sustainable maintenance culture can be expensive and counterproductive. The next NSA board should, therefore, champion asset preservation and phased restoration.

Renovating existing infrastructure is often more practical than starting entirely new projects that could stall because of funding constraints. The NSA should work with the Ministry of Sports, government, development partners, and private-sector investors to identify priority facilities and mobilize resources for their rehabilitation.

The focus should include major facilities such as the Accra Sports Stadium, Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Essipong Sports Stadium, Cape Coast Sports Stadium, and regional multi-purpose sporting complexes.

Refurbishment should go far beyond painting and cosmetic improvements. Comprehensive engineering and facility assessments should address structural integrity, electrical and plumbing systems, drainage, seating, floodlighting, ICT and media infrastructure, accessibility, security, and pitch management.

The objective must be to restore facilities to safe, functional, professional, and sustainable standards capable of serving athletes and communities for many years.

Building a Sustainable Maintenance Culture

Ghana’s sports infrastructure crisis is also rooted in the absence of a strong preventive maintenance culture. Facilities are often neglected until they deteriorate severely, leading to emergency interventions when major competitions approach.

The incoming NSA board must make preventive maintenance a key part of its administrative agenda.

Although major rehabilitation projects may require the government and Ministry of Sports funding, the NSA has an important responsibility to ensure that facilities remain in good condition after rehabilitation.

This requires dedicated facility-management systems and regular inspections of electrical systems, structural components, drainage, seating, floodlights, plumbing, sanitation, and other critical infrastructure.

Maintenance plans must also be supported by clear standards and predictable budgets rather than depending on political transitions or preparations for major tournaments.

The board should further explore public-private partnerships to improve the commercial sustainability of stadiums. Facilities can become revenue-generating community hubs through corporate sponsorships, retail outlets, fitness centers, hospitality facilities, and entertainment events. These revenue streams can contribute to maintenance and reduce the financial burden on the government.

Human Capital and Grassroots Development

Sports infrastructure is ultimately a tool for developing athletes. Its deterioration affects not only football but also disciplines such as athletics, basketball, boxing, volleyball, hockey, and other sports.

Functional regional and community facilities can serve as incubators for sporting talent. The next NSA board must, therefore, work with regional structures and sporting federations to ensure infrastructure refurbishment supports the decentralization of sporting excellence.

Upgrading facilities across the country will ensure that talent discovery is not concentrated only in Accra and Kumasi. It will create more inclusive pathways for athletes from every region to progress to regional and national teams.

A Clear Division of Responsibility

Success will require clear institutional responsibilities. The NSA should identify facility needs, monitor infrastructure conditions, establish maintenance priorities, and provide technical and operational input.

The Ministry of Sports and government should provide policy direction, secure funding, approve major rehabilitation programs, and coordinate large-scale interventions. Private-sector partners and development agencies can support financing and specific projects.

What Ghana needs is an NSA board capable of providing leadership, coordination, advocacy, monitoring, and accountability within the sports infrastructure ecosystem.

Conclusion

The dissolution of the NSA board creates a strategic opportunity to recalibrate Ghana’s sports agenda. The incoming board must break the cycle of neglect and make infrastructure rehabilitation and maintenance a defining priority.

Its success should not be measured by the number of meetings held or committees created but by tangible improvements in sporting facilities and the sustainability of those improvements.

By prioritizing refurbishment, strengthening preventive maintenance, and working effectively with government, the Ministry of Sports, private-sector partners, and sporting federations, the next NSA board can help restore national pride, protect athletes, strengthen grassroots development, and build a more resilient foundation for Ghanaian sporting excellence.