Ghana has been stripped of the right to host the 2018 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) after a decision by the Confederation of African Football (Caf), Ghanasoccernet.com can reveal.
With just three months before the start of the competition CAF has been left unimpressed with the progress work at venues for the competition which led to the decision to axe Ghana.
CAF President Ahmad has revealed that they are talking to some countries to take over as hosts of the two-week competition.
A new host will be announced next month during the CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Egypt.
Africa’s governing body CAF took the decision after the country’s disastrous preparation for the competition left the Egypt-based body with no option.
The eight-team tournament is scheduled to take place between 17 November to 1 December 2018 but the dodgy pace of preparation looks to have led to the decision.
A high powered government delegation led by the Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah visited CAF President in Madagascar two weeks ago in a bid to assuage the fear of the governing body but it looks the meeting made no impact.
A Caf inspection team visited Ghana last month and found that one of the two venues (Cape Coast and Accra) penciled to host the event – is not ready to stage the event.
Construction work at the Accra Sports Stadium won’t be completed before the competition starts while the confidence in the other parts of the Cape Coast Stadium is not up to scratch.
A decision by the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to move the tournament to Cape Coast or Kumasi and Tamale was also rejected which led to the CAF decision to look elsewhere.
“We are engaging several countries and should be able to announce a host during the CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Egypt next month,” CAF Ahmad said on Sunday.
The decision to take the competition away from the West African country is a massive blow to the Ministry of Youth and Sports who went bent on hosting despite initial doubts.
It is also a disastrous blow for the ruling NPP government as the opposition NDC are bound to take advantage of the situation to drive home the point that government botched preparations.
Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Algeria, South Africa, Zambia, Mali and Nigeria have already qualified for the tournament, and will be joined by the hosts.
The latest development indicates that Ghana football is not out of the woods yet after a recent reprieve by FIFA to prevent the country from being banned from international football
Ghana football has been in turmoil since the FA president Kwesi Nyantakyi resigned over damning corruption allegations against him.
The government had been trying to dissolve the FA through the courts but FIFA has given them up-to 27 August to stop the proceedings or they face a ban.
Government agreed to stop the process of dissolving the local federation and the latest development is a new setback as opponents would chance upon it as another sign of incompetence.
