In other jurisdictions, this topic would not warrant a lengthy article from a journalist on a Friday evening. But welcome to Ghana, where authorities prioritise personal gains over the collective good.
Sports enthusiasts, particularly football fans, would agree with most of the points about to be raised. Entertainment aficionados might have a few reservations about this piece, but when they set aside fandom and stanship and read it through a patriotic lens, they would not be far off from agreeing.
Ghana has become the entertainment capital of the world, and there’s no doubt that a global superstar like Vybz Kartel hosting a grand stadium concert in December has numerous benefits.
From tourism and economic boosts to social and entertainment yields, everyone should be backing this. So yeah, I really don’t have any problem with Kartel storming Ghana in December.
Op-Ed: Pulse Ghana’s Mandela Anuvabe takes a stand on whether Jamaican Dancehall legend Adidja Azim Palmer, popularly known as Vybz Kartel, should be hosted at the Accra Sports Stadium this December or not? He pens an unfiltered viewpoint…
Pulse Ghana’s Mandela Anuvabe writes…
No pitch cover, no Vybz Kartel
At this point, you’re wondering what my concern is, then, or why this long piece. Right?
Okay, hold your horses and let’s dive into it.
This shouldn’t be rocket science, albeit the National Sports Authority (NSA) has proven to be incompetent over the years and acted like a person with dyscalculia trapped in a further maths class.
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They simply don’t understand something as basic as covering the pitch from damage.
My stand is simple. Don’t give Vybz Kartel the Accra Sports Stadium if there are no pitch covers.
Past NSA administrations have been unreliable
NSA
Past NSA bosses and administrations have completely disregarded this simple safety measure.
No one is saying don’t host shows at stadiums. In fact, it’s a common practice to host major concerts at stadiums worldwide, except that protective measures are put in place to shield the playing surface and maintain the facility.
What we’ve witnessed in this country over time is negligence, greed, selfishness, and poor maintenance culture by appointed overseers who have forsaken their core duty as they watch our stadiums rot to the core. Pathetic.
Accra Sports Stadium pitch in dilapidated state after a show
On July 16, 2025, Pulse Ghana reported that Kartel and his team have inquired about the availability of the 40,000-seater Accra Sports Stadium to stage a massive December bash.
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This was later confirmed by NSA Director General Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, who affirmed that “there has been contact.”
My heart sank, and my eyes wept for the destruction that was about to be done. Because when I penned this article: “Accra Sports Stadium has finally improved – Why entertainment shows must stay out” on May 23, 2025, I didn’t expect that exactly two months later, a dagger would be shot right into the hearts of Ghanaians and the Accra Sports Stadium would be the subject of another danger.
New dawn under Yaw Ampofo Ankrah?
Hence, it was refreshing to hear the NSA boss stand his ground, saying until pitch covers are secured, there’ll be no concerts.
Speaking on Sporty FM on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, Ankrah explained:
We don’t have a pitch cover in Ghana. So, if you don’t take care, you destroy the pitch in trying to make money. We have a few cases where we have turned down good money to protect the pitch.
Ankrah understands this concert would be massive. He knows Kartel is famous all over the world, and the show would bring lots of tourists and help Ghana’s ties with Jamaica.
For all that, he also understands no money is worth destroying the national stadium over. Neither he nor his team is ready to lose their job for a one-day concert.
Being a sports journalist and administrator himself, he understands the consequences of poor pitches and what a potential CAF ban means for the Black Stars’ quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The stance
Accra Sports Stadium pitch
A pitch cover, per Ankrah, costs around €500,000 to install.
Do we have that money? Maybe not.
Should we invest in that? Yes.
Should Vybz Kartel stage a massive December jam in Ghana? Absolutely yes.
So, what are the alternatives? The Accra Sports Stadium, or any other stadium for that matter, should be out of the picture, especially if there’s no guarantee of pitch protection.
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The Independence Square is right there. That could be an option. But please…
Don’t give Vybz Kartel the Accra Sports Stadium if there are no pitch covers.
