Horse racing in Ghana, a sport introduced during the colonial era and long centered around the Accra Turf Club, faces an uncertain future after the demolition of its last remaining racecourse in the capital. The Accra Turf Club, established in 1923, has historically been a focal point for both the country's elite and international dignitaries, hosting Edward VIII in 1925 and Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip in 1961.

On August 22, a group of approximately 200 armed men, accompanied by police officers and equipped with nine bulldozers and an excavator, entered the Borteyman racecourse and carried out a total demolition of the site. The incursion resulted in the destruction of around 100 stables and the removal of jockeys from their residences. Horses fled the area amid the chaos, and armed personnel reportedly remain on the premises.

The Accra Turf Club relocated to Borteyman in 2006 after the government repurposed its former racecourse at Ridge for state buildings, a conference center, and a hotel. Although the club agreed to the land exchange, it never received formal title deeds for the new location.

The individual leading the demolition, identified as Accra businessman Clemence Gyato, asserted ownership of the land and presented documentation to the police. Gyato, who has previously challenged occupants of public land with government backing, was arrested for questioning by Ghana’s police service but has not been formally charged.

Following the incident, hundreds of horse owners, jockeys, grooms, and enthusiasts gathered to demand political intervention. The protest group, headed by Frederick Nuer, chairman of the Accra Turf Club, called for the immediate eviction of the current occupants and legal confirmation of the club’s land ownership. “We won’t allow anybody to destroy horse racing in Ghana,” Nuer stated.

The dispute highlights ongoing tensions over land rights in Ghana, where formal documentation and government backing have led to conflicts between longstanding institutions and private claimants. As of now, the future of horse racing at the historic Accra Turf Club remains unclear.