BY Issah Olegor
President John Dramani Mahama has raised concerns over the ballooning costs of government-led sports infrastructure projects, questioning why the state often spends far more than private entities for similar facilities.
Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday night, the President referenced the recently completed Tarkwa GoldFields stadium in the Western Region as a case study.
The 10,000-seater facility, built by mining giant GoldFields Ghana Limited, cost approximately $13 million to construct, despite meeting international standards.
Private vs. Public Spending Gap
According to John Mahama, the stark contrast between the Tarkwa project and government-led stadium constructions is alarming.
“Tarkwa GoldFields built a standard stadium for their football activities, and I was surprised to learn it cost about $13 million,” he noted.
By comparison, government-funded stadiums such as the Cape Coast Stadium and others across the country have cost “hundreds of millions of dollars,” sparking concerns about procurement inefficiencies, inflated contracts, and mismanagement of public funds.
Interestingly, the Cape Coast Stadium was constructed under the NDC administration.
A Push for Replication
The President announced that government has already reached out to the architects and designers behind the Tarkwa project in a bid to replicate the model across other regions.
“We’ve asked them to identify the architect, the designers, and everybody who worked on the stadium, so that we can replicate it in other regions that don’t have stadia,” Mahama revealed.
One of the immediate beneficiaries, he disclosed, would be the Upper East Region, which has long lacked a standard sports facility for both football and athletics.
Broader Implications for Infrastructure Development
Mahama’s remarks touch on a long-running debate in Ghana over the cost of public infrastructure projects.
Over the years, successive governments have faced criticism for overspending on roads, stadia, and housing projects compared to similar works by private or international contractors.
Sports analysts argue that efficient spending on stadia is critical, especially as football remains the most popular sport and a potential avenue for economic growth through hosting international tournaments.
They believe adopting private-sector cost models could help reduce waste while ensuring more regions get modern facilities.
