Sekondi Stadium to be named after Edward Acquah

Page: Spread, Jan 24, 2008
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah
THE newly constructed 20,080 seater Sekondi Stadium will be named after an ex-Black Stars player, Mr Edward Acquah, a Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports and Member of Parliament (MP) for Shama, Mrs Angelina Baiden-Amissah, announced in Parliament yesterday.
She made the disclosure in an answer to a suggestion by the MP for Odotobri, Mr Emmanuel Akwasi Gyamfi, that both the Sekondi and Tamale stadia should be named after some personalities in the country.
Mr Gyamfi was contributing to a statement made on the floor of the House by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Sports, Youth and Culture, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, to congratulate the Blacks Stars on their performance in the ongoing MTN Africa Cup of Nations.
He noted that since the Accra and Kumasi stadia had already been named after Ohene Djan and Baba Yara, respectively, it would be proper for the Sekondi and Tamale stadia to follow the trend.
Edward Acquah, a great footballer who scored a number of spectacular goals for the Black Stars during his time, is a native of the Western Region.
The MP for Sekondi, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, said it was unfortunate that the media kept on referring to the Sekondi Sports Stadium as the Essipon Sports Stadium and called on them to refrain from that misinformation.
In his statement, Mr Asiamah noted that the wild jubilation that had greeted the vintage performance of the Black Stars across the country underscored the fact that soccer was the passion of the nation.
He, however, urged soccer fans to be more responsible in their jubilation by avoiding alcoholism, careless driving and indecent sexual behaviours.
While commending the entire players and handlers of the Black Stars, Mr Asiamah, who is also the MP for Atwima-Mponua, urged them to be disciplined in order not to attract unnecessary cautions from referees so that the country’s quest to host and win the Africa Cup of Nations would be a done deal.
The MP for Chiana-Paga, Mr Abuga Pele, commended the government for providing excellent infrastructure for the competition but called on the Local Organising Committee to put in place measures to forestall the power cut that occurred at the Sekondi Stadium just before the match between Mali and Benin on Monday.
The MP for Ningo-Prampram, Mr E.T. Mensah, cautioned against the privatisation of the newly constructed stadia and suggested the formation of a body within the National Sports Council to oversee the operations of the stadia.
Other MPs who contributed to the statement called for more support for the Black Stars to enable them to win the cup for the fifth time.