Volta Region will not forgive our government if status of Ho Stadium remains same – Edem Agbana

Mr. Eric Edem Agbana, Member of Parliament of Ketu North and Chairman of the U-19 Elite Championship Committee, has appealed to government to rehabilitate the Ho Sports Stadium

His appeal, is to prioritize the rehabilitation of the Stadium, describing its current state as “a complete embarrassment” to the Volta Region.

Mr. Agbana said, “I will say this without fear of contradiction — one of the things we, as a region,
will not forgive the NDC government, President Mahama, and my big brother, the Sports Minister,
for, is if in the next four years, nothing is done about the Ho Sports Stadium.”

He lamented that while other parts of the region had seen improvements in their sporting
infrastructure, the regional capital continued to suffer neglect.

“It is heartbreaking to see the condition of the Ho Sports Stadium. When you visit the facility, it's a
pity — a total embarrassment,” he stated.
“In Kpando, individuals and private entities like Dr Randy Abbey and Serene Insurance have invested to keep their stadium in good shape for Heart of Lions. In Hohoe, Mr. John-Peter Amewu virtually constructed that stadium and securing an astroturf for the people and Hohoe United. But in our regional capital, the story is different, and it's unacceptable.”

Mr. Agbana revealed that he had publicly confronted officials of the National Sports Authority (NSA) after Ho was left out of the list of stadiums scheduled for renovation.

“Later, my good friend Gideon Hammond, Deputy Director at NSA, reached out to assure me that plans are indeed underway for the Ho Sports Stadium.”

He emphasised that the region was rich in talents and passion for sports but lacked the necessary infrastructure and government support to develop athletes and teams.

Meanwhile, Mr. Stephen Tetteh, Secretary to the Asogli State, told the Ghana News Agency that Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, has been actively engaging government officials to ensure the stadium's renovation.

“Togbe Afede is doing everything possible to get the Ho Sports Stadium renovated,” Mr. Tetteh said.

“He has been in discussions with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Kofi Adams, and officials of
the National Sports Authority. Two years ago, Togbe Afede even lobbied Ghana Gas to fund the
renovation. Although they inspected the facility, the available funding at the time was not enough,
but talks are still ongoing with the government.”

He expressed optimism that with continued advocacy and collaboration, the long-neglected Ho Sports Stadium would soon be restored to a standard befitting the regional capital.

GNA