Newmont Akyem Development Foundation transfers sport Arena to Adausena Community

By Emelia B. Addae

Adausena (E/R), Feb. 2, GNA – The Newmont Akyem Development Foundation (NAkDeF) has commissioned and handed over a state-of-the-art sports arena to the people of Adausena in the Birim North District of the Eastern region.  

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen community support and involvement in sports programmes, promoting a healthier and more active lifestyle for the community.  

The facility boasts a range of amenities, including basketball and tennis courts, VIP stands, a gym, and washrooms, designed to cater for the diverse needs of the community.  

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Paul Apenu, Executive Secretary of NAkDeF, highlighted the significance of the sport arena in promoting sporting and physical activities among the youth, basic schools, and senior high school students in the district. 

“The basketball court has a seating capacity of 410, while the tennis court has 402 seating capacity,” Mr Apenu stated.  

“This facility will not only boost the interest of basketball and tennis among our youth but also promote a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, it will serve as a potential source of income for the community, as it can be hired out to groups or sport teams,” he added. 

He assured stakeholders that the foundation was working on a maintenance and management plan to ensure that the revenue generated from the facility was used to maintain the center. 

In his remarks, Nana Boni Abankro V, Chief of Adausena, expressed gratitude to NAkDeF for the kind gesture and pledged to maintain a good maintenance culture of the facility.  

To foster community engagement and generate much-needed funds, he urged the Sports Unit of the District Education Directorate to facilitate hosting activities at the local sports arena. 

These events aim to promote physical activity and bolster financial resources for the community.  

Mr Kennedy Ohene Boafo, Birim North District Sports Coordinator, announced that the sports unit would train and organise a talent session for the youth and students, with the aim of selecting the best players for further training at the regional level.  

He expressed the hope that in the next 10 years, the sports arena would achieve its purpose of producing basketball and tennis players from the district who will represent the national team in competitions. 

Mr Elisha Asiedu-Amponsah, Board Chairman of NAkDeF, emphasised the importance of youth development in any society and reiterated the foundation’s commitment to supporting local sustainable infrastructure projects, scholarships, and community development initiatives. 

He called for continuous collaboration between company representatives and chiefs and elders of the catchment areas to ensure the success of NAkDeF’s projects. 

GNA