The Sports Minister (R) handing over the key of the stadium to the NSA.
Hundreds of sports enthusiasts thronged the mining town of Tarkwa last Friday to witness the handing over of the refurbished Tarkwa and Abosso (T&A) Stadium in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region to the National Sports Authority (NSA).
The rehabilitation work on the stadium started in January 2020 and was completed in June this year at a cost of $16.2 million.
The environmentally-friendly stadium was fully funded by Gold Fields Ghana Limited, through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation.
The significant investment by the Foundation has transformed the 400-seater football park into an over 8,000-seater world-class stadium, capable of hosting international matches.
It houses dressing rooms, offices, washrooms, parking areas, first aid treatment rooms, control, doping, and media rooms, cafeteria and shops.
The contractor, Micheletti & Co, and several subcontractors employed about 924 people from Tarkwa and surrounding communities in the construction of the stadium.
Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, expressed joy about the magnificent stadium saying, “This is a testimony of the power of partnership and collaboration with community people.”
He added, “The stadium is a symbol of hope, an incredible resource for sports infrastructure and must be embraced as vibrant legacy to promote the local economy.”
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, commended Gold Fields Ghana Foundation for the initiative, and called for proper maintenance culture of the facility.
Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, George Mireku Duker, said, “This is a legacy project that Gold Fields has bequeathed to us.”
Gold Fields Ghana’s Vice-President, External Affairs and current President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Michael Akafia, in a statement said the construction of the stadium will not only have a sporting impact.
The Executive Secretary of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, Abdel Razak Yakubu, indicated that the stadium is a legacy project which Gold Fields believes will foster unity, help to groom talents and provide a platform for socio-economic development.
Vice President and Interim Managing Director of Gold Fields, Elliot Twum, said the stadium is expected to facilitate the development of football in the host communities and the country, including women’s football.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Tarkwa