By Godfred A. Polkuu
Bawku (U/E), July 18, GNA – Alhaji Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper East Regional Minister, has broken ground for the construction of an ultra-modern Astro Turf in the Bawku Municipality.
The project, which is expected to be completed by November 2024, is estimated to cost GH¢5,300,000.
Speaking at a brief ceremony to break the ground, Alhaji Dr Salih said there was relative peace in the Bawku Municipality, and that if the area continued to remain peaceful, it would benefit from development projects.
He said the facility would be for the entire Municipality, and would be accessible to all residents, “It is not for any group of persons, but the entire Municipality. Hence, it will be accessible to any group of people who would want to use it”.
The Minister, who is the Chairman of the Regional Security Council, used the opportunity to call on residents in the area to ensure that there was peace and harmony in Bawku.
“It is because of your good conduct that the Regional Security Council recommended that the curfew hours should be reviewed from between 2000hours and 2200hours to 2200hours and 0400hours,” Alhaji Dr Salih said.
He said even though residents may be excited about the review, it was conditional, and cautioned that the REGSEC would not hesitate to tighten the restrictions if the prevailing peace is disturbed.
“You must behave yourselves so that we can ease the restrictions. Immediately you misconduct yourselves in this enclave, we are going to tighten the measures,” the REGSEC Chairman said.
He further told residents that “As we move towards the elections, we want you to live in harmony, so that political parties and politicians can do their campaigns without fear or hindrance”.
Prior to the groundbreaking ceremony, Alhaji Dr Salih, in the company of REGSEC members, commissioned a 20-unit market stores in the Bawku township.
The stores were constructed with funds from the Northern Development Authority and expected to boost the Internally Generated Funds of the Assembly for development.
Mr Hamza Amadu, the Municipal Chief Executive for Bawku, said the Astro Turf project was funded from the Assembly’s share of funds from a World Bank loan facility under the Secondary City Support Programme.
He said apart from the construction of stores and some roads, the Assembly decided to allocate some of the funds to revive sporting activities for the youth of the area, “That is why we mooted the idea to construct an ultra-modern Astro Turf facility in Bawku”.
He said the tendering and procurement processes were done, and approval given for the construction of the project, and reiterated the need for residents to live in peace to propel development.
GNA