Kotoku Royals’ Communications Director, Okatakyie Afrifa, has attributed the team’s lacklustre performance in the Ghana Premier League to their inability to play at the Oda Sports Stadium, which was promised to be renovated by politicians.
Having restored the pride of the Eastern region by securing a slot in the Ghana Premier League, a feat not accomplished since the relegation of Power FC in 2007, a number of promises from regional authorities were made to improve the Oda Stadium and make it eligible for the Ghana Premier League competition.
Finally,there’s a true Eastern region representative in the Ghana Premier for the first time since 2007.
Okwahu United❌
Dawu Youngster’s❌
Power FC❌
Maxbees FC❌
Kwaebibrem FC❌
Kede Hotspurs ❌
Susubribi FC❌Now welcome Kotoku Royals ✅✅✅
— George Addo Jnr (@addojunr) June 13, 2022
However, with five matches to end the season, the facility has still not been approved by the Ghana Football Association Club Licensing Board forcing the Oda-based club to adopt the Cape Coast Stadium and switching later to play at the Dawu Theatre of Dreams.
“When we qualified for Premier League, a section of Members of Parliament, Special Advisor to the President of Ghana, honourable Yaw Osafo Marfo, Information Minister, honourable Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Asene Akroso Manso MP, honourable George Aboagye, Akyim Swedru MP, Honourable Kennedy Osei and Akyease MP, Honourable, Kofi Ahenkora Marfo.
“They all met the team in Accra and had lunch with us then after that, they promised us that if it is only left with just a month to kick off the BetPawa Premier League, they will make sure that, they will make the stadium to the standard of the premier league level for us to play our matches at the Oda Sports Stadium.
“The saddest thing is that we are into week 29 of the Ghana Premier League and Kotoku Royals is yet to kick a ball at the Oda Sports Stadium and those MPs who promised us even didn’t give us one bag of cement to use it to complete the Oda Sports Stadium.
“Honourable Alexander Kwasi Acquah who is the MP for Akim Oda provided a lot of things and gave us money like GHc200, 000 cedis to pump into the stadium project.
“I believe that that is the major problem of a young club like Kotoku Royals who got the promotion to the BetPawa Premier League. Unfortunately, we couldn’t even play one match at the Oda Sports Stadium.” Okatakyie Afrifa told Radio Gold.
The team has a slim chance of surviving as they sit bottom with 23 points after 29 matches.
