Editorial
Let Department of Parks and Gardens handle, manage stadium pitches
Some officials inspecting the Accra Stadium pitch
Dear Editor,
Over the years, Ghanaians have complained about the lack of football pitches in the country because they felt they did not meet international standards in terms of quality.
Some are even of the view that the nature of our football pitches have affected the quality of play in our local league and not making it attractive for sponsors to come on board.
However, in 2008, when Ghana won the bid to host the African Cup of nations, many believed that it was a game-changer and a turn in fortunes for our football because new stadiums were built while already existing ones such as the Accra Sports Stadium and the Baba Yara Sports stadium in Kumasi, were renovated.
On a casual visit to the stadium, one observed the grass looking so green, which was pleasing to the eye. I also remember watching a match between Kotoko and Liberty at the Baba Yara Sports stadium a few months after the African Cup, and the quality of football was top-notch.
The maintenance of the pitches was entrusted to a company called Green Grass Technology.
Fourteen years after, the state of the stadiums is nothing to be proud of. Players of the Black Stars have expressed concerns about it while an official lost his job for allegedly hiring the stadium out.
As if that was not enough, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Ghana from playing its home matches at the Accra Sports Stadium due to its poor nature.
Following the ban, the National Sports Authority (NSA) closed down the stadium for rehabilitation works to take place.
The stadium was recently opened for use. My worry is that why are we failing to maintain our pitches. One may argue that the cost of maintenance or getting it to meet international standards would be a problem.
If that is the case, then I am of the view that we should let the Department of Parks and Gardens under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to take care of our pitches by planting new green grass to replace those the old ones and also be responsible for the natural grass pitches across the country.
By so doing, we would save the country some money than giving the contract to individuals or companies who may not do a good work at the end.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) will administer the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ghana from Monday, May 4, 2026, to Monday, May 11, 2026, for both school and private candidates.
For Junior High School (JHS) students, it is a crucial evaluation that covers both core and elective areas, such as English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, French, and Ghanaian Language among others.
A total of 619,985 candidates comprising 304,273 males and 315,712 females have been registered to write this final examination for JHS students.
In order to prevent examination misconduct, which damages the legitimacy of the educational system and skews the results of student assessments, candidates are expected to follow the regulations of the examination by WAEC.
Anyone found engaging in examination misconduct will face harsh penalties under WAEC Act 719.
As a result, the Spectator is advising all candidates to be cautious of the directives and make a commitment to always act morally.
We also implore supervisors and invigilators to refrain from any wrongdoing because invigilators have found themselves in trouble in the past.
It is common to feel anxious at examination but we advise candidates not to panic during this time because if they do, their brains will not be able to recall what they have learned.
Relax and you will be able to recall the majority of the material you have studied, but if for some reason you are unable to remember do not be afraid. Leaving a question unanswered is better than receiving a sanction from WAEC due to examination misconduct.
During this time, we expect parents to help their children by providing a peaceful, distraction-free study space and making sure they eat healthily and get enough sleep.
We wish every BECE candidate all the best for the examination, including good health, mental clarity, and protection.
Dear Editor
I wish to use your esteemed platform to welcome Mr Carlos Queiroz, our new coach for our senior national male football team, the Black Stars.
We have read a lot about him and I think looking at his CV, he represents our biggest ‘catch’ in this business.
When his name came up initially, some of us doubted whether we could land him considering our scarce resources.
A coach with experiences with Real Madrid, Manchester United at club sides and national team romance with South Africa and Iran speaks volumes of what he brings to the table.
However, we must not forget that CVs don’t play football. Football is played on the pitch and it is therefore the reason why the noise about his arrival must end and watch out for what he brings to the table.
Currently, we don’t have players we could call world class. Those that comes near that label like Mohammed Kudus and Mohammed Salisu are injured.
The only player making waves in Europe at the moment is Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City.
Carlos Queiroz is not coming as a magician. He would need players who are committed and very good enough. At this moment, we should be praying and supporting him to get the best out of our players.
Directly, I want to appeal to him to take a serious look at the players in individually and access their qualities before bringing them on board.
Some of the players are very good but have just failed or struggled to perform in the Black Stars jersey. One of his task must be to break that ice.
We need nothing bust the best for the World Cup. As Ghanaians let’s support Queiroz to get the best out of the players available.
Andy Muller,
Accra
