V/R: NDC slams govt for allegedly abandoning Youth Centre project

The Volta Regional branch of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the government of abandoning a youth centre in the area.

The party in a statement said the project cite has now turned into a grazing ground for cattle.

The NDC said the multi-purpose youth sports centre project took off in March 2018 in Ho and was expected to be completed in 2019 but has been abandoned.

“The 10,000 seater project which was expected to provide a FIFA standard football pitch, an eight lane athletic track, a tennis court, a basketball court, a handball court among others, has been unfortunately abandoned and left at the mercy of the weather”.

“It is sad to state that the project site has become a grazing ground for cattle and hunting of grasscutter. The tracks are getting damaged, seats at the stands have been left at the mercy of the weather while some local folks go there to gather firewood.

It is demoralising to see how the tax payers money is being wasted under the Nana Addo – Bawumia government.

The NDC Volta is calling on the Youth and Sports Committee of Parliament to scrutinise how funds allocated to the National Youth Authority are utilized,” the statement added.

Read the full statement below

PRESS RELEASE

BY VOLTA NDC

28/02/2022

Abandoned Youth Centre in Ho now a grazing ground for cattle

The multi-purpose youth sports centre project which took off in March 2018 in Ho and was expected to be completed in February 2019, has been completely abandoned.

The 10,000 seater project which was expected to provide a FIFA standard football pitch, an eight lane athletic track, a tennis court, a basketball court, a handball court among others, has been unfortunately abandoned and left at the mercy of the weather.

The NDC Volta is profoundly dismayed about the abandoning of this project because under the visionary John Mahama, the National Youth Authority Act (Act 939) which was passed into law, yielded the following amounts from the District Assembly Common Fund:

Year Amount
2017 GHC 76,405,153.8
GHC85,751,501.26
GHC71,218,530.03
GHC29,218,387.00
Total. GHC262,593,572.11

It is therefore buffling that with these revenue streams, such a project which costs $2.4 million dollars an equivalent of Ghc 14.4 million will be so pathetically abandoned.

It is sad to state that the project site has become a grazing ground for cattle and hunting of grassscutter. The tracks are getting damaged, seats at the stands have been left at the mercy of the weather while some local folks go there to gather firewood.

It is demoralising to see how the tax payers money is being wasted under the Nana Addo – Bawumia government.

The NDC Volta is calling on the Youth and Sports Committee of Parliament to scrutinise how funds allocated to the National Youth Authority are utilized.

We also want to remind the Regional Minister, Hon Dr. Archibald Letsa that there is hardly any significant project under his signature in the Volta Region and that posterity will blame him and the government of H.E Nana Addo if such a project, which is meant to harness the potentials of the youth in the region, is left uncompleted. We equally urge the Regional Minister to as a matter of urgency repair the Ho Sports Stadium which has been damaged as a result of the organisation of the Volta Fair at that place.

Signed
Sorkpa K. Agbleze
(Volta Regional Communication Officer)