By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Abor (V/R), May 12, GNA-Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpe, the Member of Parliament (MP) of Keta Constituency, in the Volta Region, has revealed plans to develop a world-class sports and tourism ecosystem within the constituency.
He said that the modernisation of the beach soccer arena, the development of water sports, and the construction of a football complex on available land in the area were some of his priority areas.
Mr Gakpey, in an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency, disclosed that information from reliable sources indicated that Keta has the available beaches to again host international beach soccer matches, and expressed confident that the event would materialise and that the constituency needed to be adequately prepared to host such high-profile sporting events.
“No official communication has been given, but I am aware this is going to happen, it is urgent for us to collaborate to upgrade the sporting infrastructure in the constituency to meet international standards ahead of such engagements,” he said.
He said the assembly was working to modernise the beach soccer arena to give it a more professional and internationally competitive appearance, and stressed that the upgraded facility would serve as a platform for promoting beach soccer as a mainstream sport capable of attracting local, national, and international audiences.
The Keta MP also noted that some community members and residents have already begun developing water sports activities within the constituency, particularly during the Easter festivities, which called for the repackaging and repositioning of such activities into a more structured, year-round sporting and tourism attraction.
“It should be a sport where, internationally and nationally, people can come and watch, and then it becomes a way of promoting tourism, it important to support the economic and sporting value that a well-organised water sports programme could bring to our area.”
Mr Gakpey, revealed that the constituency had secured land for the development of a football complex, describing it as a piece of land on which the assembly intended to establish a facility that would serve both sporting and community development purposes, with organic grass already earmarked for planting to develop a proper football pitch.
The MP acknowledged the presence of a few encroachments on the land but clarified that no permanent buildings had been erected on the site, and assured that any temporary structures would be pulled down to allow the project to proceed without hindrance.
Mr Gakpey disclosed plans to extend the benefits of the football facility to schools within the constituency, and indicated that the project would include a component designed to provide school children access to a proper playing surface, replacing existing gravel grounds with planted organic grass to create a safe and functional sporting environment for pupils.
He said the assembly was also in active discussions with investors to explore opportunities for further tourism development in Keta Municipality with a view to attract private sector participation in transforming the constituency into a recognised sports tourism destination on the national and international map.
He called on stakeholders, community members, investors, and sporting authorities to rally behind the constituency’s development vision, and pledged that his office would continue to pursue all projects within its mandate and resources to ensure that Keta realised its full potential as a thriving hub for sports, tourism, and economic activity.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/ Kenneth Odeng Adade