Minister stresses that presidential box does not leak at stadium probe

Soccer-Results of the outstanding league matches

Soccer- Hasmal shock Hearts with a lone goal

Soccer-Oly still top table

Minister inaugurates athletics and baseball associations

Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th May ’99 –

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Youth and Sports, on Wednesday denied allegations that the presidential box of the Accra Sports Stadium leaks.

"What happens is that whenever it rains, the windstorm blows water towards the presidential box, causing the whole place to get wet. This is not the result of any leakage".

Mr Mensah was giving an overview of the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the Accra and Kumasi sports Stadiums before the Tagoe Committee probing alleged impropriety in the award of the contracts in Accra.

He cited an instance during the 10th week ABC premier league match between Great Olympics and Power F/C at the Stadium on Wednesday, April 28.

The minister said he and the Vice-President, Professor John Atta Mills, had to abandon their seats temporary as a result of a rainstorm, which preceded the match.

He noted that the rehabilitation of the two stadiums did not start with the bid to host the Africa under-20 soccer tournament. The rehabilitation had been in the pipeline of the ministry as far back as 1995 but this could not be implemented earlier due to financial constraints.

He said it was not until 1997 that the government approved two billion cedis, which led to the contract being awarded to Arab Contractors through the tender board.

The Minister said the intention of the ministry was to develop the stadiums along modern lines with shopping arcade among others but the evaluation by the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) of 47.6 billion cedis could not be met.

He said prior to the release of the two billion cedis by government, a series of meetings were held on the possibility of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) financing the project. SSNIT later backed out because of its tight budget.

Asked whether he knew that Nana Sam Brew Butler, co-chairman of the Local Organising Committee was a director of Arab contractors before awarding the contract to his company, Mr Mensah said ‘no’ but added that he got to know only after the contract had been awarded.

"Even if l knew that Nana Butler was a director, l would still have appointed him because of his vast experience and also because l know there was no way that Butler could influence the tender process."

He said the government made a saving of one million dollars on the score board erected at the Accra sports stadium because the LOC it approached the manufacturers, Omega directly but the same could not be bought for the Kumasi stadium because of inadequate funds.

Mr Mensah said Nana Butler provided a seed money of two million cedis to open the LOC accounts with the Agricultural Development Bank which later gave the LOC an Assistance of 70 million cedis and denied renting his house at Abelenkpe to the engineers of Arab Contractors. "There is nobody living in that house," he said.

GRi../

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th May ’99 –

Results of the 10th week ABC premier league outstanding matches played on Wednesday.

Kumasi: King Faisal...One (1) Kotoko...Two (2)

Sekondi: Hasaacas......One (1) Hearts...Nil (0)

GRi../

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Sekondi (Western Region), 6^th May ’99 –

A 55th minute goal scored by inside left John Ainoo enabled Sekondi Hasaacas to beat Accra Hearts of Oak in their 10th week ABC premier league outstanding match played at the Sekondi Gyandu Park on Wednesday.

Hearts, who were the first to go into action, found the net in the first minute of the game through Joe Fameyeh, but referee A. Amevor of Ho ruled it offside.

Hearts protested briefly but the referee stood by his decision.

When the game resumed, Hearts dominated play but failed to translate their dominance into goals.

Hasaacas lifted their game in the second half and scored the only goal through Ainoo in the 55th minute in a goal-mouth action.

Try as they did, Hearts could not equalise.

In Kumasi Asante Kotoko beat King Faisal 2-1 in their match played at the Kumasi Sports Stadium.

Kotoko, facing a lean season, raced into an early lead when former international star, Robert Boateng, galloped along the right flank and placed the ball in the path of advancing Nicholas Addo, whose 30-metre shot hit the back of the net in one minute 35 seconds.

Bolstered by the early lead and backed by cheers from the fairly large crowd, Kotoko increased their work rate as they attacked from all angles.

Faisal counter-attacked in the 11th minute and nearly scored the equaliser when jittery goalkeeper Michael Abu dropped the ball from a powerful shot by speedster Joe Louis. The defence managed to kick the ball out.

Kotoko struck again in the 12th minute when Burkinabe import, Kambou Clovis, latched onto the ball from a Robert Boateng pass and scored with a terrific shot.

After the commanding lead Kotoko relaxed, allowing Faisal, led in attack by diminutive Joe Louis, to dictate the pace of the game, as the Kotoko players struggled to cope with the pace of the game.

Kotoko were sluggish and uninspiring after recess, as Faisal captured the midfield, with Louis and Joe Agyeman terrorising their defence.

Joe Louis capped his brilliance in the 66th minute, when his low shot beat goalkeeper Abu, who dived too late to stop the ball as it rolled gently into the net.

Faisal staged a last minute rally as they piled on pressure to score the equaliser, but the Kotoko defence gallantly warded off all dangerous moves.

GRi…/

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th May ’99 –

Accra Great Olympics still maintain the top spot in the 16-club ABC Golden Lager Premier football league table after two outstanding matches played on Wednesday

P W D L F A Pts

Olympics 11 6 3 1 13 7 21

Hearts 10 6 2 2 21 4 20

Hasaacas 11 5 5 1 17 3 20

Goldfields 11 6 0 5 16 10 18

Dwarfs 11 5 3 4 16 13 18

Power 11 5 2 4 12 11 17

Kotoko 10 5 1 2 11 9 16

Liberty 11 5 1 5 9 9 16

Dawu 11 4 3 1 16 15 15

Okwawu 10 8 2 4 9 8 14

All Blacks 11 4 3 4 11 11 13

RTU 11 3 3 5 13 15 12

King Faisal 11 2 4 7 13 15 10

Bofoakwa 11 3 1 7 7 15 10

Ghapoha 10 1 4 5 7 15 7

Afienya 11 1 2 8 6 23 5

(Hearts and Kotoko have one outstanding match each)

GRi…/

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Accra (Greater Accra), 6^th May ’99 -

Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minster of Youth and Sports, on Wednesday said it is necessary to infuse the membership of sports associations with past sportsmen and women in order to achieve "better results".

He said these former stars, who made the nation proud some years past, have a lot of experience at their disposal, which are vital in restoring the nation's status in international sports.

Mr Mensah was inaugurating the reconstituted membership of the Ghana Amateur Athletics Association (GAAA) and the Baseball-Softball Association.

He said the government is ready to invest more in the lesser sports which, he noted, are capable of earning the country more medals in international competitions.

Mr Mensah expressed confidence in the new members, saying, "you have the pedigree to be members of these associations through your active participation in sports, organising events, and unearthing and nurturing talents for the nation".

"Your associations have to seek advice from the Market Advisory Unit of the National Sports Council for assistance and to mobilise sponsorship for your programmes", he added.

Mr N.A. Adjin-Tettey is the chairman of the GAAA, Mr A.K. Tetteh, first vice chairman, Mr William Cofie, second vice chairman and Mr E.K. Oteng Aboagye, general secretary.

Other members are: Dr S.L. Lamptey, Dr. Holdbrook Smith, Mr Abraham Asante (MP), Dr Nii Dalia Quist, Mrs J. Agbodjan and Mr Constance Addo-Yobo.

Members of the Baseball-Softball Association comprise Naval Captain G.N. Asubonteng, chairman, and Mr Alex Agyei, general secretary.

The rest are: Mr Theophilus Attoh, Mr Shinya Tomonari, Mr Albert Frimpong, Mr R.O. Lamptey, Mr W.K. Agbo and Kenyi Sharyo.

Mr Sam Nelson, first vice president of the Africa Amateur Athletic Confederation (AAAC) swore in the new members.

GRi…/

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