The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), led by the chairman, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, on 2nd July 2026 met with the Western Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Nelson, to discuss the possible construction in the region of the Black Star Stadium, a multi-purpose facility that was proposed in the 40-Year National Development Plan by the Commission a decade ago. 
Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, Director-General of the Commission, described the meeting as “timely” in view of current discussions to decongest the national capital and shift key infrastructure and other amenities to other parts of the country.  

Despite the name, the Black Star Stadium is envisioned to include conference facilities, offices, restaurants, shops, a sports museum, and a sports medicine centre, in addition to the traditional stadium. “This is futuristic,” Dr. Thompson noted, stating that revenue from the various facilities will be used to maintain the stadium and keep it ready for sports and other events, such as concerts, as all times. 

He added that lack of world-class sports and conference facilities has constrained Ghana’s ability to become a conference tourism hub on the continent and also attract major international organisations to locate their regional offices in the country. Accra is overcrowded and most of the facilities are either crumbling or have not seen expansion or renovation in years.  It’s important that when people say, “I went to Ghana,” they see other parts of the country besides Accra.  I hope the Black Star Stadium in the Western Region will be the beginning of enhanced decentralisation across the rest of the country,” he concluded. 

Hon. Nelson welcomed the idea of the Black Star Stadium being situated in the Western Region, adding that “the best comes from the West.”  He promised to begin discussions with key stakeholders in the region to facilitate the construction of the Stadium, adding that it would also be used to promote coastal tourism and in the process create jobs in the region and beyond. 

The Commission chairman informed the minister that a video of the proposed stadium had been on YouTube for many years and encouraged him to use it in his engagements with stakeholders in the region.

The meeting ended with assurances from the chairman and the director-general that a technical committee would be established to engage regional and other official about the way forward for the proposed stadium.