NSC Warns Clubs

Football administrators and club officials have been urged to seek authorization from the National Sports Council (NSC) before fixing matches at the newly-refurbished stadia of the country.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE SPORTS at the Ohene Djan Stadium in Accra over the weekend, Hamid Issaka, Chief Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the NSC, said his outfit has just started maintenance of the country's stadia and the exercise includes the regrassing of pitches, cleaning of the environment and other minor works.

“We feel very bad when unprofessional officials of some clubs who have not even written to the NSC parade themselves on the radio stations to announce friendly matches to be played at the stadia”, he fumed.

According to Mr. Issaka, the NSC expects clubs that would like to play matches at any of the country's stadia to write officially to the NSC for the use of these venues and make sure they follow up for the response, before taking any action to promote or advertise the event. “We are appealing to those managing football clubs in the country to be more professional in their dealings by writing to the NSC for permission to be granted before they engage in any publicity for  matches”, he said.

“When club administrators fail to satisfy those requirements and they later come to us only to be told that they cannot use the facilities, these officials incite their supporters against the NSC”, he stressed.

Mr. Issaka noted that the newly built facilities are for all Ghanaians, but to him it should be used properly because the OneTouch Premier League will start very soon, stressing that some of the stadia are becoming dilapidated and need to be repaired before the beginning of the next soccer season.

By Pierre Toto