President Akufo-Addo with the Chiefs during the sod-cutting ceremony
Speaking at Adaklu on the second day of his three-day tour of the Volta Region during the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a multi-purpose youth and sports resource centre, President Akufo-Addo stated that in fulfillment of the pledge he made in the run-up to the 2016 elections, his government had begun the construction of ranches across the country.
The President said: “The first ranch has been established at the Afram Plains, and we have chosen several sites around the country where we will establish these ranches in order to bring the cattle into safe and secure environment so that the desecration of the land you are witnessing here will be a thing of the past.”
The Minister for Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah, who was present at the ceremony, explained that the construction of the multi-purpose youth and sports centres of excellence in the 10 regions of the country was being done at the behest of President Akufo-Addo.
The minister stressed: “The deliberate provision of these facilities has never happened before in this country. It is a major intervention by the President in making sure that we have modern sporting facilities across the country.”
With the initial design for the Adaklu Youth and Sports Resource Centre meant to have a 5,000-seating capacity, Asiamah noted that with the intervention of the Volta Regional Minister, Archibald Letsa, the Adaklu facility would now have a 10,000-seating capacity.
“This is not just a sports stadium; it is more than a sports stadium because of its additional facilities. When it is completed, it will have a FIFA-standard football pitch, a modern 9-lane athletic track, tennis courts, basketball, handball and volleyball courts, and a modern gymnasium,” he revealed.
According to the minister, the facility has a counselling centre, an ICT centre, an entrepreneurship centre and a modern restaurant.
To the President, Isaac Asiamah stated that “what you are doing within four years of your administration in terms of sports infrastructure and youth facilities has never happened in the country. You will be remembered tomorrow as the President who provided modern sporting facilities in the country.”
The sports minister gave the assurance that all 10 projects would be commissioned in April of 2019, after which the next phase of construction for 10 more youth and sports development centres would begin.
On his part, President Akufo-Addo noted that apart from his government’s determination to create opportunities for Ghanaian youth to find work, they must have places of recreation and for developing their sporting prowess. This multi-purpose resource centre will respond to that need.