The acting Director General of the National Sports Authority (NSA), Prof Emmanuel Osei Sarpong, says demolishing the Accra Sports Stadium is not an immediate solution to the engineering problems affecting the facility.

The stadium has come under scrutiny over its deteriorating condition, with concerns about safety prompting calls for its demolition and a complete rebuild.

However, Prof Osei Sarpong believes the authorities must first assess the problems and explore the available options before deciding whether to renovate the existing structure or construct a new stadium.

“For me, Accra Sports Stadium is a very good place. We have an engineering problem, and so that is one of the things we are looking at, but we cannot fix everything at a go,” he told Citi Sports.

“We will explore the options to determine whether renovation or building a new stadium would be the best solution.”

He stressed that demolishing the facility was not a viable immediate option, adding that the authorities would address its shortcomings gradually.

“In the interim, we cannot break Accra Sports Stadium down. So we need to look at the gaps one after the other and solve them gradually until we are sure the majority of the gaps are [addressed],” he added.

The Accra Sports Stadium remains one of Ghana’s major sporting venues and recently hosted the Black Stars’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against The Gambia.

The facility had also been expected to host Ghana’s upcoming doubleheader against Somalia as the Black Stars continue their campaign in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

However, Prof Osei Sarpong has indicated that the two matches are likely to be played at the Essipong Stadium, with the NSA already seeking clarification from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The proposed venue change comes as questions persist over the condition of the Accra Sports Stadium and the need for a long-term solution to its engineering challenges.