In response to the National Sports Authority’s (NSA) decision to close the Accra Sports Stadium to football clubs in favor of December musical concerts, Benson Tongo Baba, Member of Parliament for the Talensi Constituency, has expressed his discontent.
The NSA’s announcement in November 2023 affected prominent football clubs, including Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics, who were denied access to the stadium.
Criticism from the sporting community ensued, and Tongo Baba voiced his concern, arguing that the NSA prioritized musical concerts over football, disregarding the stadium’s intended purpose for sporting events.
“I have pointed out to the NSA that the stadiums were constructed to promote sports-related activities. Not a while ago, the Accra Sports Stadium was given out for concerts, and I want to know if that is part of their mandate?
“NSA, supposed to promote sports, chose to deny Accra Hearts of Oak the use of that venue for that crucial game against Asante Kotoko.
“Both teams have lost revenue as a result of not allowing Hearts of Oak to play on their traditional home ground, and I want the Minister to put them in check,” Benson Tongo Baba said on the floor of Parliament.