Sports

NSA: Music concert won’t affect pitch

The National Sports Authority (NSA) has stated that the grass pitch at the Accra Sports Stadium will not be affected by the ‘GTCO Music Concert’to be held at the Accra Sports Stadium, tomorrow.

Consequently, football lovers have been assured that the pitch would be in a better shape when the stadium reopens for football games.

The stadium has been closed for two weeks as Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB Ghana) Limited uses the facility for its outdoor concert in Ghana tomorrow with top performers from Ghana and Nigeria.

The venue which is home to Accra Hearts of Oak, Great Olympics, Legon Cities and Accra Lions was closed down for maintenance work.

However, a video which emerged on Social Media on Monday, showing the erection of scaffold by set designers on the pitch drew a lot of backlash from a section of Ghanaians.

But Head of Public Relations of the NSA, Mr. Charles Obeng Amofa told the Times Sports yesterday that what was seen was a canopy for the stage but was moved to the space behind the goal post.

He said “GTB Ghana rented the place for their end of year get-together (not concert, per agreement we have with them). They are to mount their systems on asphalted areas behind the goalposts but not to use the pitch which is currently being worked on by the outfit’s pitch management consultant Green Grass Technology (GGT), and our estate workers.”

Mr. Amofa said the pitch was undergoing treatment by GGT, who indicated to them that the soil has become acidic with a pH of four instead of seven (neutral).

“Such acidic condition in the soil kills the good grass and allows colonization of weeds on the pitch. As we speak now, GGT have applied chemicals which will correct the pH in the next few days. Until such effect is achieved, and with fertilizer application, the pitch cannot be used for sporting activities.”

Mr. Amofa said the NSA was aware of the repercussions of exposing the grass to foreign materials and would not do anything to put the grass in danger.

He said by Monday, the pitch would be ready for use by the clubs.

“We did the fertilizer application over a week ago and according to the experts by the end of the weekend, the pitch would be ready for use.”

BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY


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