Ghana President Akufo-Addo SACKS NSA Director General Dodzie Numekevor after Baba Yara Stadium debacle

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has dismissed Dodzie Numekevor, Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), with immediate effect.

The decision follows the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) revocation of Baba Yara Sports Stadium’s license to host international matches, sparking national concern.

The dismissal comes in the wake of criticism over the stadium being rented out for a six-day church event just days before Ghana’s crucial AFCON 2025 qualifier against Angola.

The controversy surrounding the stadium rental has been cited as a major factor in CAF’s decision, which has thrown Ghana’s international football schedule into disarray.President Akufo-Addo had previously expressed dissatisfaction with the management of sports facilities in the country and issued a stern warning to Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif.

The President emphasized that the Minister would be held accountable if Ghana were forced to play its home matches outside the country due to substandard facilities.

Dodzie Numekevor, who had until September 18, 2024, to respond to a formal query from the Sports Ministry regarding the decision to rent out the stadium, was removed from his position on Tuesday. His dismissal marks a swift response to the situation, which has raised concerns about the state of Ghana’s major sports venues.

Before his removal, Numekevor had ordered the temporary closure of the Baba Yara, Accra, and Cape Coast stadiums for urgent maintenance, following CAF’s recommendations for upgrades.

The sudden stadium closures have left the Ghana Football Association scrambling for an alternative venue to host their upcoming AFCON 2025 qualifier against Sudan. Togo has been identified as a potential option if Ghana’s facilities are deemed unfit for international competition.

Numekevor, who had been serving as interim Director General since February 2024 after the departure of his predecessor, Professor Peter Twumasi, now exits the role amid a challenging period for Ghana’s football infrastructure.