The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr. Mustapha Ussif has announced that the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale will soon see major renovation and maintenance works to keep it in good shape for sporting activities.
The Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale is expected to undergo major renovation and maintenance works. The sports facility is among the many stadia being worked on to enhance consumer experience to translate into deeper interest in the local sports. Mr. Ussif made the announcement when he toured the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium to assess the challenges confronting the facility.
The tour was also to interact with the Management of the Northern Regional Directorate of the National Sports Authority over the recent disconnection of power to the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium by the Northern Electricity Distribution Company Limited (NEDCo). The facility was last month, disconnected by NEDCo for owing an amount of GHc466,000. The Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, which had a 10-year lifespan for major renovation works, has since not seen such maintenance leaving the facility in a deplorable state.
The Ministry of Sports has already embarked on a series of renovation works on the Accra Sports Stadium, Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi and the Essipon Sports Stadium in the Western Region.
Mr Mustapha Ussif acknowledged the need to refurbish the deteriorating Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium during a visit to the facility over its removal from the national grid.
The Confederation of African Football and the Federation of International Football Association has continued to reject international matches scheduled at the facility due to its current condition.
It is yet to be made public the amount going to be spent to renovate the stadium. The Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium was formerly called Tamale Stadium. It was renamed by the Akufo-Addo-led government in 2017 to honour the late Vice President Aliu Mahama under the Kufuor administration. The late Alhaji Aliu Mahama lobbied for the stadium’s construction in Tamale as part of the stadia built to host the 2008 Cup of African Nations in Ghana.
The stadium has been serving as the home grounds for Real Tamale United and Tamale City in this season’s Ghana Premier League.