Mahama-led administration abandoned the Legon Sports Stadium - Mustapha Ussif

Former Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif has criticized President John Mahama’s previous administration for neglecting the Legon Sports Stadium and other key sporting facilities during his first term in office.

Speaking in Parliament, Ussif argued that the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration made unprecedented strides in sports infrastructure, contrasting it with what he described as the poor state of facilities under Mahama.

He noted that while the Legon Sports Stadium was initiated in 2007 under former President J.A. Kufuor, the Mahama administration failed to take action on the project between 2014 and 2016, despite a feasibility study warning that the Accra and Kumasi stadiums were unfit for sporting activities.

Ussif highlighted that rehabilitation efforts only began in 2017 under President Nana Akufo-Addo, leading to renovations at the Accra Sports Stadium, Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Cape Coast Sports Stadium, and Essipong Sports Stadium.

He also revealed that the initial plan to construct a new 50,000-seat stadium at Borteyman was scrapped due to financial constraints exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, by mid-2021, authorities opted to complete the University of Ghana Stadium to meet the needs of the 2024 African Games.