The commentary box, VIP and the VVIP Boxes at the Accra Sports Stadium have been closed down following a technical report by the Architecture And Engineering Services Limited (AESL) which marked them as high risk areas for spectators.
According to AESL, the three sections of the stadium are “death traps” with immense decay which need to be closed immediately to prevent any unforeseen tragedy after two inspections conducted by the body last year.
When the Graphic Sports visited the venue last Friday, the entrance to the commentary box, VIP Box and VVIP Box had been closed temporary with metalic stands.
At yesterday’s Premier League match between Accra Great Olympics and Wa All Stars, the media were relocated to the stands as a temporal working area just as new seating arrangements were done for VIPs at the match.
A planned major renovation at the stadium has been held up after pleas from Accra Hearts of Oak to be allowed to use the venue for their home games till the end of the season, but the National Sports Authority (NSA) has gone ahead to cordon off the three areas until further notice.
The general facelift of the massively corroded edifice which was expected to commence last month, but was put on hold after stakeholders of the Premier League, Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Ghana League Clubs Association (GHALCA) pleaded with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah to commence renovation works after September.
But the move to close the commentary box, VIP and VVIP areas, according to the Director General of the NSA, Robert Sarfo Mensah, was necessary to avoid any tragedy.
He told the Graphic Sports that the Ministry of Youth and Sports had initiated moves for the renovation to start in time but admitted that the procurement processes usually took time to materialise.
“We decided to close the commentary box, VIP and VVIP sections of the stadium per reports by the AESL which described those areas as a death trap. It was in the interest of the general public not to use the venues to avoid any tragedy,” Mr Sarfo said yesterday in an interview.
“As we wait for the general renovation of the stadium to take place after the Premier League, the Ministry of Youth and Sports have written to secure procurement to help start in time,” he added.
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