The rains have once again left the Ho Sports Stadium pitch waterlogged, reigniting long-standing concerns over poor drainage, bad pitch and the urgent need for rehabilitation of the Volta Region’s premier football venue.
The flooding, which left large patches of stagnant water across the field, disrupted league matches and raised doubts about the stadium’s readiness to host upcoming league tournaments, including the much-anticipated Asogli Te Za gala final.
For years, the Volta Regional Football Association (VRFA) and sports enthusiasts have appealed for the facility to be renovated to meet modern sporting standards. They argue that without an effective drainage system, football matches would continue to face cancellations, delays, or relocation whenever rains set in.
“The situation is becoming unbearable,” a football coach in Ho told GNA. “We cannot keep postponing games because the pitch turns into a pond after every heavy rainfall. Something must be done urgently.”
Sports lovers say the recurring problem undermines efforts to promote football in the region and denies young talents the opportunity to compete at the highest level on home turf.
Meanwhile, frustrations over stalled sports infrastructure projects in Ho have deepened after the Ho Municipal Assembly’s Executive Committee (EXCO) recommended the termination of a contract for the construction of an AstroTurf at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Dave Campus.
The project, which forms part of the “Year of Astro Turfs” initiative launched on August 23, 2024, was expected to provide a modern synthetic field with wire mesh fencing under the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program (GSCSP).
Funded by the World Bank and supervised by the Ho Municipal Assembly, under the leadership of Mr. Divine RK Bosson former Ho Municipal Chief Executive contract was awarded to Banstead Limited, with Bans Consult as the supervising consultant.
However, until September 30, 2025, the contractor had failed to complete the project despite several reminders and follow-ups, leading to disappointment among stakeholders and residents.
“Upon all attempts to get the contractor to deliver, nothing happened. The Assembly had no option but to recommend abrogation of the contract,” the EXCO report stated. The full House unanimously approved the cancellation.
Local football fans and community leaders have urged the authorities to ensure that any new contractor engaged delivers quality work within a strict timeline, stressing that the region cannot continue to lose out on sporting opportunities.
Calls have also gone directly to Mr. Stephen Adom, the Ho Municipal Chief Executive, to prioritize the completion of the UHAS AstroTurf and to lobby for urgent renovation of the Ho Sports Stadium.
Observers argue that while the World Bank-funded AstroTurf project is critical, attention must equally be given to upgrading the stadium, which continues to host major regional and national fixtures despite its deteriorating condition.
As the rains continue in the Volta Region, the fate of the Ho Sports Stadium remains uncertain, but the consensus among residents is clear: the time for temporary fixes is over, and urgent investment in lasting solutions is now.
GNA
