Renovations at the Essipon Stadium have stalled
The Minister of Sports and Recreation, Kofi Iddie Adams, has issued a firm warning over the alarming state of the Sekondi Sports Stadium at Essipon, describing it as a national asset dangerously close to collapse.
After touring the facility on Friday, November 21, 2025, with the ministry’s Chief Director, Wilhelmina Asamoah, and the Director-General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, the minister expressed deep concern about what he witnessed.
Kofi Adams said the level of decay at the 20,000-seater stadium was “alarming and unacceptable” for a country with Ghana’s sporting aspirations.
The delegation observed extensive signs of long-term neglect, rusted metal frames, crumbling infrastructure, and wide areas of deterioration, confirming that the stadium has suffered from a lack of significant rehabilitation since it was built 16 years ago for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
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The worsening condition, according to him, raises serious doubts about the stadium’s safety and its capacity to host major sporting events in its current state.
A particularly troubling issue was the encroachment on the stadium’s lands by private developers.
Unauthorized structures have appeared around the facility, posing a major threat to future expansion and the installation of essential auxiliary services.
Clearly alarmed by the development, Adams described the encroachment as “deeply worrying” and called for swift action from the Western Regional Coordinating Council and local traditional authorities.
“We cannot rehabilitate Essipon while private developers are taking over the land. I urge the Regional Coordinating Council and our chiefs to act swiftly to protect this national asset,” he warned.
The minister also discovered that the Phase I and II rehabilitation works had progressed far more slowly than anticipated.
These phases include re-roofing with anti-rust materials, replacing seats, refurbishing washrooms, installing air-conditioning systems, fitting sunglasses, upgrading lighting, and introducing a new electronic scoreboard.
Yet large portions of the stadium remain untouched, compelling the ministry to plan additional upgrades such as a revamped pitch, improved dressing rooms, better security zones and enhanced corporate boxes.
Despite acknowledging the quality of work done so far, Adams stressed that the pace was simply not acceptable.
“The progress is too slow. We must accelerate the work to ensure Essipon becomes fully functional as soon as possible. The government is committed to restoring this facility for the people of the Western Region and for Ghana,” he added.
FKA/JE
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