Story By: Ahashie Judeliver Eli
Elvis Herman Hesse, the chairman of the National Chapters Committee (NCC) of Accra Hearts of Oak, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the National Sports Authority’s (NSA) decision to close the Accra Stadium to regular football activities, labeling the move as disrespectful to both Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
In an interview with Happy FM, Hesse criticized the short notice provided by the NSA, stating, “The notice was very late, just less than two weeks…very little time for the club to restructure its plans for the coming games.” He went on to express his disappointment with the decision, emphasizing that the stadium is a shared resource for all taxpayers, including the supporters of Hearts of Oak.
Accra Hearts of Oak and other clubs including Accra Great Olympics, Accra Lions, and Dreams FC now find themselves in a venue crisis for their home games in both the domestic league and CAF inter-club competitions due to the closure of the Accra Stadium.
In a letter signed by the Director General of the NSA, Prof. Peter Twumasi, conveyed the unavailability of the nation’s premier sports facility to the four clubs. The communication urged the teams to seek alternative venues.
This decision posed a significant challenge for the highly-anticipated 14th league week fixture between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko scheduled for December 17 in Accra, as well as the 15th-week clash between Olympics and Kotoko on Christmas Eve.
The NSA’s move to close the Accra Stadium is grounded in a strategic shift towards revenue generation from non-sporting activities. The popularity of the facility during the festive season has led to its booking for the Freedom Wave musical show by Dancehall artist Shatta Wale and the BHIM concert by Stonebwoy, both scheduled for December.
The clash between football tradition and the pursuit of alternative revenue streams has left the affected football clubs scrambling to find suitable venues for their upcoming fixtures. The Chairman of the NCC concluded by calling on the relevant authorities to reconsider the timing of the stadium closure and work collaboratively with the football clubs to find a solution that accommodates both sporting and non-sporting events.