President of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), Kurt Okraku, has revealed there has been a marked improvement in the state of stadia and pitches across the Ghana Premier League.
In an interview with GHOne TV, Okraku credited the ongoing reforms and the work of the club licensing department for the positive changes.
“I think that our stadia have improved a lot, our pitches have improved a lot. The club licensing department have been at the forefront of the push for excellence,” he said.
His comments come at a time when the quality of football infrastructure in the country continues to generate widespread discussion among stakeholders and fans.
Over the years, poor pitches and run-down facilities have been a major concern, often cited as one of the reasons for the league’s struggle to attract fans to stadiums.
Okraku, however, admitted that despite the progress, challenges remain, especially during the dry season.
“It’s also true that during the bad weather season we have challenges because of lack of adequate water, just like it is also in some parts of Europe during the winter season where the pitches go bad,” he explained.
He called for a stronger maintenance culture, noting that sustaining the current improvements will require continued investment and commitment from all stakeholders.
“There is a need for more investments in the maintenance of our stadia. We need to improve on our culture of maintenance of our stadia across the country, so yes, I will be happy for how far we’ve come, but I think there’s a lot more that needs to be done.”
“If we want to enjoy football the way it has to be enjoyed, clearly there is a need for more investments, not only in the protection of lives and properties, but also in the maintenance of our sports infrastructure,” Okraku added.
Watch the interview below:
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