Sports journalist Veronica Commey has voiced her frustration at the government's handling of sports development in Ghana, particularly criticising the decision to invest in numerous AstroTurfs across the country while neglecting crucial sports infrastructure.
Key stadiums, including the Baba Yara Stadium, Accra Sports Stadium, and Cape Coast Stadium, are in a state of disrepair. The National Sports Authority (NSA) recently closed these venues for urgent renovations following CAF's ban on the Baba Yara Stadium – the only facility approved to host Category C matches, such as the upcoming Black Stars game against Sudan.
Commey has accused politicians of ignoring the need for proper sports development, choosing instead to focus on the success of the national team.
"Politicians over time have shown that they have no interest in football; they have no interest in sports," she said in an interview with Joy FM. "They only hop on the euphoria of the Black Stars and decide to pump money in there, not into the development of football."
While the current government claims to have invested in sports infrastructure, Commey criticized the decision to build AstroTurfs in various communities, calling it an "emotional decision."
She highlighted how these AstroTurfs are inaccessible to local teams due to high usage fees. "If you go to the one at Madina or elsewhere, you are charging around 400 cedis for an hour and a half. How many people can afford that?" she questioned.