Expedite action on Aboso and Prestea AstroTurf projects– MP tells Minister
The Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni Valley, Hon Robert Wisdom Cudjoe has charged the Ministry of Youth and Sports to as a matter of necessity expedite action in the construction of the artificial turfs known as AstroTurf Park at Aboso and Prestea sports projects respectively.
According to him, a sod has been cut for the two project since 2020, but work has not begun, thereby denying the youth of the respective towns the opportunity to use the pitches for their training in sports.
Hon Cudjoe made the call when he posed a question to the Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon Mustapha Ussif in parliament on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.
The MP wanted to know from the Ministry when the construction of the two communities ASTROTURF Projects would be completed to enable the youth have access to training fields to unlock their talents in soccer.
“Mr speaker, I rise to ask the Minister for Youth and Sports when the construction of artificial turfs (Astroturf) at Aboso and Prestea will be completed?, Hon Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, quizzed the sector Minister.
In response, the sector Minister, Hon Ussif Mustapha said, the Scot Stadium Astro Turf in Prestea is a Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Sponsored Project which was contracted to IT Walters.
According to him, “the Project commenced on 10th May, 2020 and the current state of the project stands at 15 percent of ground preparation.”
He said work on the project has stalled due to lack of funds, promising that, “the project will be completed subject to timely release of funds.”
Similarly the Sports Minister said the TT Park Astro Turf in Aboso is a Coastal Development Authority (CODA) sponsored Project which was contracted to Astro Ghana.
The Project, he explained commenced on 19th May 2020 and the current state of the project stands at eighty percent complete; “with the artificial turf fixed, floodlights installed and fencing completed.”
Again, he said the project would be completed subject to timely release of funds.
But Hon Cudjoe told EXPRESSNEWSGHANA, he was not satisfied with the answers by the Sports Minister on grounds that, since the cutting of sod on the pitches and some gravels work been dumped there, there the fields the youth in the respective towns are unable to use them for training.
He said the pitches are the only ones that the youth could use to do training and the continues delay in completing the projects have dire consequence, stressing that the stakeholders have agreed to plant natural grass on the fields pending the government funds to complete them.
The MP noted that, currently three football clubs in the Constituency have qualified under the Division 2, stressing, the Abosso Soccer Reform Team is currently in Madina Accra, to play the Under 17,” and urged the government to fast track the project completion to enable the youth unlock their sports talents.
He however assured to work to support the youth in the constituency to develop their sports talents, especially in football since it has become one of the best and more earning sports venture in the global employment index.
The MP has visited the Abosso Soccer Reform, the only team representing Western Region in the ongoing under seventeen tournament in Accra.
He made a cash donation and other items to the Team to boost their morale and confidence.
Source: expressnewsghana.com
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