By Isaac Arkoh
Cape Coast, April 03, GNA – The Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA) have cut the sod for the construction of a GHȻ15 million International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAA) Athletic Oval with synthetic track surface.
Dubbed: “Kwabotwe Centre for Sports Excellence,” the construction of the centre formed part of a MOBA master plan to improve sports in the school.
The fourth phase of the project would include civil works or a sub-base for the athletic oval and tracks, equipment, stands and restraining wall.
Funded by MOBA 1973, 1983, 1993 and 2003, the facility, which is the first of its kind in any second cycle school in Ghana, comes with an eight-lane athletic track, 300-seater dignitaries and spectator stands with VIP and popular stands as well as washrooms.
The VIP Stand and its terrace shall have a seating capacity of 450 people, while that for the spectator shall be for 2,000 people.
The facility is expected to be completed in six months, and the installation of the synthetic track surface will be done by Mondo, a Spanish company specialised in the installation, marking, and fixing of track equipment.
Mr Owusu Sekyere Antwi, the Chairman in charge of the construction works, who gave an overview of the project, said to protect the earth after cutting to construct the terraces, a retaining wall (interlocking blocks), shall be constructed with ornamental plants around it to beautify the area.
Moreover, the backfilling behind the retaining walls, shall be done and compacted to specifications, he said.
He explained that in 2020, a Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) standard outdoor basketball court with changing rooms, washrooms and 250-seater spectator stands was commissioned as phase one by MOBA 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000 at the cost of GHȻ1,000,000.00.
A Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) standard artificial AstroTurf football was also constructed for GhȻ1,600,000.00 by MOBA 1991,1981, 1999 and 2001 as phase two.
He said Phase three of the project, tackled the relocation of existing water facilities at the school’s field with increased capacity totalling GHȻ933,000.00 by MOBA 1972, 1982, 1992, and 2002.
Mr Antwi thanked MOBA for their commitment to ensuring that the Mfantsipim School was not only a centre of academic excellence, but also brilliant in sports and called for increased stakeholder support for success.
Apart from education and health, sports create employment for athletes and many other opportunities in management and administration.
“I think that with the alarming number of unemployed people, there is no better time for many of these people to consider starting a business in and around sports.
“The sheer number of opportunities that exist in sports could give one enough work to do and to help their less entrepreneurial inclined friends to get employment as well,” he explained.
The official sod-cutting ceremony was performed by the Right Reverend Richardson Aboagye Andam, the Bishop of the Cape Coast Diocese of the Methodist Church together with some executives of MOBA.
GNA