Ghana President fires NSA Director General over stadium mismanagement

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

This decision follows a series of events that culminated in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) revoking the Baba Yara Sports Stadium's license to host international matches.

The dismissal is believed to be linked to the controversial rental of the Baba Yara Stadium for a six-day church event just before Ghana’s critical AFCON 2025 qualifier against Angola.

This mismanagement has reportedly sparked frustration within government circles.

President Akufo-Addo, who had previously voiced his concerns over the poor handling of Ghana's sports facilities, had warned Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif that he would be held accountable if the national football team was forced to play its home matches outside the country due to inadequate venue standards.

Numekevor, who was asked to explain the stadium rental decision by the Sports Ministry by September 18, 2024, was dismissed on Tuesday afternoon.

This followed a growing sense of urgency after CAF's decision and the need to meet international standards for Ghana's upcoming AFCON qualifiers.

Prior to his dismissal, Numekevor had ordered the closure of the Baba Yara, Accra, and Cape Coast stadia for maintenance, aiming to address CAF's recommendations for upgrades.

Despite these efforts, Ghana is now exploring alternative venues, with Togo being considered a possible location to host the AFCON 2025 qualifier against Sudan if domestic facilities remain unfit.

Numekevor had been serving as the interim Director General since February 2024, after the departure of his predecessor, Professor Peter Twumasi.