Koforidua, July 5, GNA – Mr Seth Acheampong, the Eastern Regional Minister and Daasebre Oti Boateng, New Juaben Omanhene, have jointly broken grounds for the commencement of redevelopment of Koforidua Jackson Park into an ultra-modern infrastructure.
The over eight-million Ghana Cedis project, is being funded through the Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program (GSCSP) by the World bank in the New Juaben South Municipality.
The project would be undertaken in four phases and facilities would include precast blocks paving of the 15,000m square of the park, volleyball and basketball courts, public and VIP stands with stores, and a restaurant with a Pub and TV theatre amongst others.
The Minister said the project had been designed to reduce congestion at the central business district, which is a bane to development through the provision of a modern car park and lockable stores.
Daasebre Oti Boateng lauded the initiative to redevelop the Jackson Park, which had served the area in public functions and social activities for many years.
The history of the Koforidua Jackson Park dates back to the colonial era and described as the “heartbeat of Koforidua” is used for all national public functions such as the independence parade, the veterans day parade and funeral grounds for people in the area as well as all other social gatherings.
History has it that at a point, the Jackson Park was used for sporting activities and hosted a match between Asante Kotoko and Accra Hearts of Oak many years ago.
In recent times, the Jackson Park has become an extension of the central market as traders were relocated there to do business just to decongest the market due to the covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Isaac Apau-Gyasi, Municipal Chief Executive for the area said the redevelopment of the park was part of the four monumental projects being undertaken in the municipality to give the area a facelift under the GSCSP.
They are the construction of an ultra modern market centre to replace the dilapidated central market, reconstruction of the Mangoase court complex and construction of the Nsukwao basin drainage improvement to address the perennial flooding in Koforidua.
GNA