The Minister of Youth and Sports, Honourable Isaac Kwame Asiamah, led a powereddelegation to cut the sod for reconstruction work to begin at the Nkawkaw Stadium on Friday, AshesGyamera.com can confirm.
Once a leading football field venue and home ground for Division 2 side, Okwawu United, during their heyday in Ghana’s top flight, the stadium has been left in ruins for close to three decades.
The project forms part of the government’s broad programme on sports infrastructure development across the country. Already, 10 of other multi-purpose Youth and Sports Centres of Excellence across the nation are nearing completion.
The Minister was supported at the ceremony by the Director General of the National Sports Council, Professor Peter Twumasi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Middle Belt Development Authority, Hon. Joe Danquah and his Deputy, Madam Joyce Opoku Boateng, Eastern Regional Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Nkawkaw, Hon Eric Kwakye Darfour, Minucipal Chief Executive of Nkawkaw, Hon. Yaw Owusu Addo, Hon. Joseph Frimpong, District Chief Executive of Kwahu East, Hon. Emmanuel Atta Ofori Snr, Atibiehene and Gyaasehene of Kwahu Traditional Area, Barima Kwame Asante Beteani II, who stood in for His Royal Highness, Daasebre Akuamoah II, Paramount Chief of Kwahu Traditional Area, Obomenghene Nana Effah Opinaman III, and some other traditional rulers.
The government has decided that the process should begin immediately to ensure that all similar football pitches and other notable match venues or stadia scattered across the country will be upgraded for multi-purpose use.
These include but not limited to:
1. Sunyani Coronation Park
2. Cape Coast Siwdu Park
3. Sekondi Gyandu Park
4. Tamale Kaladan Park
5. Kpando Sports Stadium
6. Wa Malik Jabir’s Park
7. Berekum Golden City Park
8. Agona Swedru Stadium
9. Bekwai Gyamfi Park
10. Saltpond Park
11. Tarkwa T&A Park
12. Konongo Waterloo
13. Oda Sports Stadium
14. Tema Sports Stadium
15. Techiman Nana Ameyaw Park
16. Mampong Park and others.
Meanwhile, as part of the core objectives of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Foundation towards providing sports infrastructure, the Foundation began the construction of several standard Artificial Turfs (Astro Turfs) in some regions in the country.
Currently, GNPC is constructing about twenty-one (21) artificial pitches across the country to support government’s agenda of providing quality playing arena to enhance sporting activities in Ghana.
The location for these projects are:
Western Region:
1. Heman-Prestea
2. Dompim-Pepesa
3. Anyinase
4. Adiembra
5. Efiekuma
Eastern Region
1. Suhum Roman Park
Ashanti Region
1. Asokwa
2. Bekwai
Ahafo Region
1. Duayaw Nkwanta
Upper West Region
1. Lawra
Northern Region
1. Karaga
The pitches come with a fence, four (4) floodlights and a stand-by generator to provide light in the evenings when there is light out. This will make the facility usable at all times.
Again, the Ministry for Inner-Cities and Zongo Development is also constructing ten (10) new multi-purpose recreational centres also known as astroturfs for ten Zongo communities across the country.
The beneficiary Zongo communities are
Greater Accra Region:
1. Madina
2. Fadama
3. Dodowa
Eastern Region
1. Kwabeng
2. Kyebi
3. Akyem Oda
Ashanti Region
1. Manhyia South
2. Bantama
3. Akurem
Western Region
1. Essikado-Ketan
Central Region
1. Dunkwa-On-Offin
Savannah Region
1. Damongo
Upper East Region
1. Bolgatanga
North East Region
1. Walewale
Already, some other constituencies across the nation are also benefitting from the 1 Constituency 1 Astro Turf project.
These constituencies are Ashiaman, Krowor, Okaikoi Central, Okaikoi North, Gomoa East, South Tongu, Ablekuma Central and Shai Osudoku.
