Hon Abubakar paying courtesy call on the Okyenhene at his palace in Kyebi. INSET: The Wale Wale sod cutting ceremony
The Inner-City and Zongo Development train has hit Kyebi Zongo, (Kimens Park), Eastern Region, where a sod-cutting ceremony preceded the construction of a modern-day artificial pitch.
The initiative forms part of NPP’s quest to develop and improve infrastructure and living conditions of people in the various Zongo communities in the country.
Put together by Wembley Sports Construction Company Limited, the facility, scheduled for completion in three months is expected to have an artificial football pitch, panel mesh fencing, flood lights, spectator stand/ canopy, wash and changing rooms.
Inner-City and Zongo Development Minister, Alhaji Abu-Bakar Saddique Boniface said at the sod-cutting ceremony that “This inclusive multi-cultural and multi-ethnic development is essential for developing any modern society. Ghana has taken the lead in Africa by establishing a Ministry to reverse and include the excluded in its development, let us embrace and support it.”
He stated that the construction of the facility at the home of one of the founders of NPP tradition, Dr JB Danquah and the home of the current president of Ghana, will create various jobs for the youth in the community during and after the construction.
The Minister added “This project is evident of the commitment of the NPP government as a result of which the Ministry of Inner-City and Zongo Development was created; to help provide areas of opportunity and hope across the Zongos dotted across the country.
He mentioned that the people of Northern extraction have played pivotal roles in the senior national soccer team(Black Stars) citing Baba Yara, Mohammed Polo, Abedi Pele, Mohammed Gargo, Malik Jabir, Ibramim Sunday, Abdul Razak, among others as key players to Ghana’s football success story.
“It is also the NPP government’s agenda to turn the Inner-City and Zongo communities in this country into prosperous communities away from poverty, crime, illiteracy and all the social vices thereof,” he said.
The Minister urged the inhabitants to esteem high grade maintenance culture to ensure the facility’s longevity.
MP for Abuakwa South and Minister for Works and Housing, Samuel Ata Akyea, pointed out that the facility has come to serve the entire community irrespective of one’s political background.
General Manager of Wembley Sports Construction Company Limited, Nana Antwi indicated that the construction of the facility falls in line with his outfit’s vision to achieve a one constituency, one artificial pitch vision by 2020.
He said a scheme with Omni Bank is in place for churches, communities and districts that want to own the facility but are not financially sound.
Earlier, the Inner City and Zongo Development Minister, Abu-Bakar Saddique Boniface together with chief Imam, Dr Sharubutu cut the sod for the construction of an artificial pitch at Madina Zurac Park (Libya Quarters), which is currently under construction.
Before the Madina project, the Wembley Sports Construction Company had performed a sod cutting ceremony at Wale Wale as part of its One constituency, One Artificial Pitch project.
So far, the Wembley Sports Construction Company had constructed four artificial parks in Kotobabi, Nungua, Dzorwulu and Accra Academy respectively with same features- changing rooms, flood lights, panel mesh fencing and spectator stands/canopy.
From Kofi Owusu Aduonum, Kyebi