Photos: Essipong Stadium left to rot after promises to complete the project

In 2020, the Ministry of Youth and Sports disclosed that a contract has been awarded for the renovation of the Essipong Stadium.

The Essipong Stadium has been in a deplorable state since it hasn’t had renovations since its completion for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.

Essipong stadium left to rot Credit: (Saddick Adams) Pulse Ghana

Due to the non-maintenance culture endemic in Ghana, the facility was left to virtually a total 'decay'.

Roofing systems have been torn, exposing the steel frames to corrosion. Washrooms, office spaces, hostels have all suffered some magnitude of deterioration.

Essipong stadium left to rot Credit: (Saddick Adams) Pulse Ghana

The former Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Kwame Asiamah disclosed that the renovation of the stadium will be carried out in two phases.

The initial phase which is costed at GH¢17,969,447.10 will cover the replacement of existing defective roofing sheets, sandblasting corroded roofing steels, and application of a heavy-duty coating system to guard against further deterioration of the metal structure from the mid-west to the south stand.

Essipong stadium left to rot Credit: (Saddick Adams) Pulse Ghana

In 2021, Asiamah again revealed that the government will spend over US$3 million to complete the first phase of the renovation of the sports infrastructure.

Presenting the 2022 budget in Parliament on November 17, 2021, the Finance Minister, Ken Yaw Ofori-Atta announced that a number of some National stadiums are undergoing renovation which the deplorable Essipong Sports Stadium is now at a 90% completion stage in relation to its renovation.

Essipong stadium left to rot Pulse Ghana

However, some residents were not pleased with the Finance Minister's statement as they believe, the renovation been done at the Essipong Stadium is nowhere near 20% complete not to talk of 90% according to their observation.

A Twitter user said inter-school games were organised at the Essipong stadium where each student was charged to pay GH¢2 as a gate fee.

The user added that more than 5000 students participated during the school competition for five days.

Essipong stadium left to rot Pulse Ghana

He wrote; "When inter-schools games are organized in the region, each Student pays GHC2 as a gate fee. More than 5,000 students fill this stadium per day when there’s a school competition.

"The competition is held for 5 days and these 5,000 students pay 5 cedis for the week."