FIFA To Provide Ghana With Astro Turf

As part of its efforts to help member countries to further improve upon their game, world's football governing body, FIFA, has decided to provide Ghana with an artificial turf.

This is in addition to the support FIFA has given to the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to expand its Secretariat to be more accommodating, as well as the provision of funds for the "FIFA Goal Project."

Announcing this, FA President, Mr Kwesi Nyatankyi, said the support from FIFA was an indication that the world's governing body was interested in helping the developing countries to catch up with the rest of the world with regards to promoting the game.

Mr Nyantakyi said since the artificial turf has to be at a league match venue, the GFA had chosen the Tema Stadium as the appropriate venue for it to be laid. However, that would only be done when the ownership issue between the Tema Municipal Authority and the National Sports Council had been resolved.

According to Mr Nyatankyi Ghana could take delivery of the turf within the next three months as all the agreements had been concluded.

Mr Nyantakyi also described the support from FIFA as timely as Ghana prepares to host the 2008 Nations Cup.

The turf would be the first of such public facilities for Ghana football, even though Fetteh Feyenoord Academy already have two artificial turfs which are often opened up to clubs to train on in preparation for international competitive matches to be be honoured on similar turfs.

Hockey is the only other sport which has an artificial turf, the sand-base turf at the Theodosia Okoh Pitch in Accra.