ECG Reopens Renovated Power Tennis Court as Ghana Push for Greater Sports Investment Gains Momentum

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has breathed new life into one of Accra's longest-serving sporting facilities by officially reopening the renovated Power Tennis Court on Saturday. The restoration marks a significant moment for Ghana's tennis community and underscores a growing push by national sports federations to secure more robust corporate and government backing for athletic development.

Originally constructed in 1994, the court has anchored the Power Tennis Club for over three decades. The renovation project came together through collaboration between ECG management, its board, club executives, and a coalition of donors and supporters, including high-profile figures such as Deputy Minister for Finance Thomas Nyarko Ampem and Okaikwei Central MP Patrick Yaw Boamah.

A Symbol of Collaborative Development

ECG Managing Director Julius Kwame Kpekpena framed the reopening as far more than a facility upgrade. In remarks read on his behalf, he described the project as emblematic of what unified effort can achieve for sports development. The renovation gives the venue renewed purpose for the coming decades while honouring its three-decade legacy within Ghana's tennis ecosystem.

Among those celebrated for their contributions was Professor Cornelius Ekow Daniel, the 86-year-old Chairman and Patron of the Power Tennis Club. Despite retiring from active play, Professor Daniel made a seed donation towards the facility's future development—a gesture that underscored the personal investment many stakeholders hold in Ghana's tennis infrastructure.

Ghana's Tennis Challenge: Talent Without Adequate Resources

However, beneath the celebration lies a sobering reality about Ghana's sporting finances. Isaac Duah, President of the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF), used the platform to sound an alarm about the sport's chronic underfunding. Despite limited financial support, Ghana continues to field teams at international competitions, most notably the Davis Cup—tennis's premier team competition.

Ghana's men's team currently competes in Group Four of the Davis Cup structure, progressing from the African level through Euro-African qualification before reaching the world stage. Recently, four players and a coach represented Ghana at the Davis Cup in Kenya, made possible only through corporate sponsorship rather than sustained government funding.

Duah proposed an innovative solution: state-owned institutions and parastatals such as ECG, the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), and the Petroleum Commission should formally adopt specific sports federations as corporate social responsibility commitments. This would create predictable, sustainable funding streams and align Ghana's institutional resources with athletic development goals.

Why It Matters for Ghana

Ghana's investment in sports infrastructure and funding carries broader national implications. A well-resourced tennis programme can produce internationally competitive players, boost Ghana's standing at regional and continental competitions, and create employment pathways for coaches, administrators, and support staff. The renovated Power Tennis Court represents a tangible asset—but without systematic financial support from government and corporate Ghana, such facilities remain isolated islands rather than nodes in a thriving sports ecosystem.

Duah also highlighted the media's role in sustaining interest in tennis, noting that continued coverage helps inspire young talent and legitimises the sport within Ghana's competitive landscape. The upgraded facility is expected to provide opportunities for youth development whilst creating livelihoods for coaches and vendors dependent on the tennis economy.

ECG's involvement signals that parastatals can play a meaningful role in sports development—a model that, if replicated across other institutions and sports, could transform Ghana's competitive capacity in international athletics. The reopened court stands as both a celebration of what collaboration achieves and a blueprint for what systematic, institutionalised support might enable across Ghanaian sport.