Address by H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, on the Occasion of the Commissioning of the Reconstructed Ohene Djan Stadium

Address by H.E. John Agyekum Kufuor, President of The Republic of Ghana on the Occasion of the Commissioning of the Reconstructed Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra on Sunday, 11th November, 2007

The Speaker of Parliament of Ghana and Kenya,
Members of the Council of State,
Hon Ministers,
Hon Members of Parliament,
Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Members of the Ghana Football Association,
Consultants and Contractors of the Stadium,
Esteemed Traditional Rulers,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have gathered here on this joyous occasion in the name of football, which has a way of rallying and unifying the whole nation irrespective of our diverse backgrounds and interests.

Following CAF’s decision on 8th July, 2004 to award the hosting of the 26th Africa Cup of Nations Tournament, the country was required to select at least four stadia to be used for the 32 matches during the tournament in January to February, 2008.

Accra, our capital, is the leading venue. Within twenty months, the Ohene Djan Stadium has been reconstructed and remodeled to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the prestigious Cup of Nations event.

This stadium has been remodeled to provide for:

Over Forty thousand persons, all seated, Proximity to the pitch to allow greater visibility, which is now a common feature of major soccer arenas, Cafes, restaurants, private boxes, shops, offices and rooms that can be hired for private receptions or events, Facilities for the disabled, and Improved security.

We must commend the architects, engineers, consultants and the construction firm, Michelletti for transforming an old stadium into an extensive, multifunctional arena, comparable to any modern stadium.

The immediate use of the stadium is the hosting of the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in January. The potential for providing economic, political, social and cultural benefits is immense.

With the anticipated hundreds of thousands of guests who will visit Ghana for the tournament, the tourism sector will also receive the needed boost leading to further growth of our economy.

Government is committed to providing such state-of-the-art stadia in all the regions of Ghana to afford every citizen equal opportunity in taking part in sporting activities.

We expect the management and maintenance of these facilities to be very professional. The best management practices should be adopted to ensure that the quality of the pitch is maintained, safety legislation and other statutory requirements are complied with, while measures are taken to generate revenue.

As we get closer to the hosting of the tournament, we must all see the event as Ghana’s finest moment in soccer and international relations. With the Black Stars, we will be welcoming the whole world to join us in “SHARING PASSIONS AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH,” which is the theme of the tournament.

All of us, traditional rulers, churches, civil society, students, the media, the private sector, security services, the entire sporting fraternity, indeed the whole nation should commit to hosting a memorable tournament.

I wish our Starlets and their counterparts from Togo who are playing today’s special match to commemorate this historic occasion all the best. My understanding is that today marks the 96th anniversary of the founding of Accra Hearts of Oak sporting Club. We wish the Club a happy anniversary.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I have the pleasure to declare the reconstructed Ohene Djan Stadium duly commissioned.