Hearts’ home matches in limbo as ministry closes stadium

Premier league club Accra Hearts of Oak will have to immediately make an alternative arrangement for their home games next season as the Accra Sports Stadium has been temporarily shut down.

This is to allow for renovation of the facility after parts of the facility were closed down last July due to their rapid deteroriating state.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr Elvis Adjei-Baah, who confirmed the closure to the Daily Graphic yesterday, said the move had become necessary to allow for the contractors to move to site and put the edifice in better shape as the country prepares to host the women’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) later in November.

Officials of the Accra-based club could not be reached for their next action as to where to move their games; however, the El-Wak Stadium, which is the only alternative appears not to be in good shape either.

“The ministry has already awarded the contract to a contractor who is expected to move to site and begin work, and this means the stadium might not be available for the clubs that use the Accra Sports Stadium as their home venue”, the PRO noted.

He said the ministry was due to shortly announce the name of the contractor who had been given the green light for mobilisation and was likely to commence work in the coming days.

Although he was convinced the contractor would cordone the area from the public during the renovation, he could not tell whether part of the stands would be open to the teams to use for league games.

“That will solely depend on the contractor as to whether he will open one side and work at the other so teams can use the stadium,” he responded to a question as to whether part of the facility could be opened to the clubs while the other was being worked on.