Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Prof. Peter Twumasi has disclosed that, renovation work at the Sekondi-Takoradi Essipong Stadium is steadily being undertaken after the NSA boss and other dignitaries from the Youth and Sports Ministry inspected the site.
The Essipong Stadium, built by President John Agyekum Kuffour in 2006 and commissioned for the CAN 2008 tournament in Ghana was closed down for renovations due to its deplorable state with the roofing of the VIP worn out and tattered.
The renovation project forms part of a national initiative to facelift all of the country’s sports stadiums. Earlier on Thursday, March 11, 2021, the NSA boss Peter Twumasi joined a technical team from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Authority (end user), AESL (consultation) and the contractor on site to assess progress of work at the famous Essipong Stadium.
According to the NSA boss, who revealed this update at the site on his official Facebook page, “Work is progressing smoothly despite the extensive rot of roofing scaffolds which required major replacements”.
It will be recalled, former Minister for Youth and Sports, Isaac Kwame Asiamah in 2020 revealed in a press briefing that the refurbishment of the stadium will be carried out in two phases.
The initial phase which is budgeted at GHC17, 969,447.10, will cover the replacement of existing defective roofing sheets, sandblasting corroded roofing steels and application of heavy duty coating system to guard against further deterioration of the metal structure from the mid-west to the south stand.
The project, an 18 month contract being executed by CISDAN Limited when completed will see all the critical components of the stadium fixed. The second phase of the project, will however cover the renovation of the spectators’ seats, electrical installations, completion of hotel/hostel facilities and other works.
Similar inspections work has or is to be carried out at Baba Yara Sports stadium in Kumasi and Accra Sports stadium.
Stephen Afful/YFM
