‘Don’t Privatise Stadia’
Benson Tongo Baba, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) has kicked against suggestions in some quarters that the stadia used in hosting the Ghana 2008 tournament be privatized.
The four stadia, namely Ohene Djan, Baba Yara, Essipon and Tamale, had been in the news recently as some private individuals and companies were clamouring for their privatization.
When DAILY GUIDE SPORTS asked the opinion of Mr. Baba, he said he was strongly against the suggestion, adding that the National Sports Council (NSC) had the capacity and know-how to manage the stadia.
His reason for rejecting their privatization was that it would kill other sports in the country. He stressed that organizers of lesser-known sports could not afford to hire the stadia if they were in private hands.
Mr. Baba disclosed that recently when organizers of the Schools and Colleges Games applied to use the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, they were asked to pay Gh¢5,000 (¢50 million) before being allowed to use the facility.
To him, if one had to pay such huge sums of money before using the stadia, it would prevent the poorer regions from accessing the venues.
The GOC President said the use of the stadia by Ghanaians, especially for sports development, ought to be considered as a social responsibility programme to the community and should not be expensive.
He suggested that if private persons and companies wanted to go into stadium management, then they (private companies) should build their own stadia and privatize them.
Mr. Baba was of the view that NSC could effectively handle the four stadia and suggested that if it became necessary they should recruit or lease out certain works like sanitation to the private companies to handle.
He disclosed that during the Ghana 2008 tournament, personnel of the NSC were in charge of the lighting system and other key installations at the stadia.
Mr. Baba commended President Kufuor for providing the state-of-the art sports infrastructure.
He however stressed that 30 other sports disciplines such as athletics, baseball, in-door football, handball, basketball, Taekwando and martial arts, had not been catered for in the construction of the stadia.