Coupbay Ghana Limited, the company in charge of the GH¢12.5 million renovation of the Accra Sports Stadium, has advocating a total closure of the stadium to enable it to complete the restoration works in six months.

According to the project manager of the Accra Sports Stadium renovation, Chris Aviah, the integrity of the entire metal framework of the stadium has been compromised rendering the facility unsafe.

"Well, as you can tell just by looking at it, you can see a lot of rust. In other words, the integrity of the metal work, the structural work is compromised," Mr Aviah said on the sidelines of the commencement of the Accra Sports Stadium renovation  last Wednesday.

"So, basically what we are going to do is to modify that metal work; we are going to modify the properties of metal through a process called blasting.

"I want to assure everybody here I have done this job for over 40 years. I worked in the US auto industry; I know my work very well, we will get this done in six months," he stressed.

He assured that the blasting process that will be used to eliminate the rust on the structure will slow down the rusting process which can be halted if the maintenance schedule provided by Coupbay is followed.

He also advised that no football matches should be honoured during the period, adding that the movement by traders in others parts of the stadium will also be restricted.

"It hasn't started and you see what I am wearing," Mr Aviah said pointing to his hard hat (a type of helmet predominantly used at construction sites to protect the head from injury due to falling objects).

"The structural integrity is compromised. Those under concrete slabs will be okay but that has to be limited. We cannot open the structure to everybody.”

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah, disclosed that the renovation works would cost GH¢12.5million (including a GH¢2million consultancy fee) and last for eight months (till September ending).

He assured that the government was committed to seeing the completion of the project and that the contractor would be paid in stages per the agreement.

He said the scope of work contained in the contract included re-roofing of the VIP Lounge, replacement of damaged steel stands, separators, defective bolts in bottling systems to steel structural members at the Orange and VIP stands, coating and painting of structural steel members with appropriate protection chemicals/paints and repairs of the scoreboard.

Mr Asiamah also stated that his outfit, in collaboration with the contractor, would ensure that the facility would be ready to host games during the 2018 African Women's Championship slated for November 17 to December 1