By Robert Tachie Menson
Kato(B/R), Sep. 7, GNA – Mr. Nelson Kwaku Kyeremeh, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Berekum East Constituency, on Tuesday cut the sod for the construction of an astro turf to help unearth and groom football talents and other sporting disciplines in the area.
The astro turf facility is located near the Kato M/A School would be the first of its kind in Berekum when it is finally completed.
The ceremony was attended by some Members of Parliament, New Patriotic Party(NPP) constituency executives, traditional rulers, family members of the Berekum East MP, some staff of the Berekum East Municipal Assembly and Ghana Education Service (GES), religious leaders and some members of the public.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Kofi Adjei, the Berekum East Municipal Chief Executive, thanked the MP for lobbying to bring the project to the area.
He assured the contractor undertaking the project of the municipal assembly’s full support for the successful execution of the project.
Nana Kusi Amoah Gyan II, chief of Amankukwaa of the Berekum Traditional Area, who was the guest of honour noted that the completion of the project would raise the image of Berekum.
He praised the MP for continuing the good works started by past Berekum MPs.
Mr Nelson Kwaku Kyeremeh, the Member of Parliament, Berekum East Constituency, extolled the contractor for the level of commitment and enthusiasm shown towards the project, stating it’s very encouraging to see the contractor already on site busily working when the Public Procurement Authority(PPA) is yet to approve of the project.
He noted that more letters were piling up at the Ghana National Procurement Corporation (GNPC) and the Ghana Gas offices requesting for the construction of astro turfs for different areas across the country.
“I want to thank the contractor, and Ghana Gas Company for selecting Kato to benefit from the list of numerous others with similar requests,” he added.
Mr Kwaku Kyeremeh said the astro turf when completed would boost economic activities in the area apart from identifying talents and making players conversant with the use of the facility to be competitive internationally, and would lift the name of the area from what has done in football by Berekum Chelsea football club and in academia by Prof Benneh and others.
He said they were creating a platform for the development of the youth of the area to impact on their families.
Mr Alhaji Gibril Tanko, Project Contractor, Blaze Investment Company Limited, indicated that the company has a track record of constructing a number of astro turfs across the country.
The Project Contractor expressed delight that the project have been awarded to the company and assured it will deliver quality work featuring floodlights, fencing, dressing room, technical team corner, stand.
“I can’t tell you how much it will cost. We have done a review to some of the specifications but we are ensuring it will take 11 players aside,” he told reporters.
He gave an assurance the project would be completed and handed over to the authorities within the stipulated six months period, adding “Ghana Gas is providing funding which is secured already”.
GNA