How GHC7 million sports project became a monument to broken promises in Upper East

The Upper East Region remains one of Ghana's least-endowed regions when it comes to sports infrastructure. Apart from a handful of AstroTurf pitches, many Division One and Division Two clubs continue to train and play on dusty, grassless fields popularly known as "sakora parks".

Against this backdrop, hopes were high when government officials gathered in Navrongo on May 14, 2018, to cut the sod for the construction of a state-of-the-art Youth Resource Centre under the National Youth Authority's Youth Resource Centre initiative.

The ceremony was attended by the then minister for youth and sports, Isaac Kwame Asiamah; the then Upper East regional minister, Rockson Ayine Bukari; the then chief executive officer of the National Youth Authority, Emmanuel Sin-nyet Asigri; project consultant Joe Hackman; and other dignitaries.

The facility, estimated to cost about GHC7 million, was expected to be completed within nine months. However, nearly nine years later, the project remains unfinished, turning what was once a symbol of hope into a monument of neglect.

A DREAM THAT NEVER MATERIALISED

According to project details announced during the sod-cutting ceremony, the facility was expected to include the following:

- A FIFA-standard 5,000-capacity football stadium

- An eight-lane athletics track

- ICT and entrepreneurship centres

- Career development facilities

- Tennis, basketball, and volleyball courts

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- A modern restaurant

- Washroom facilities

- Maintenance units

- Floodlights and other supporting infrastructure

The project formed part of a nationwide initiative aimed at providing modern youth development and sports facilities across Ghana's sixteen regions.

CURRENT STATE OF THE FACILITY

A recent visit by Ibrahim Abode on an investigative mission to the project site paints a worrying picture.

Instead of a thriving sports and youth development hub, the facility is now characterised by deteriorating structures, broken chairs, burnt sections of the building, and several incomplete components. The abandoned project continues to deteriorate under harsh weather conditions, raising concerns about the value for money invested in the project.

Speaking to this reporter, a young man identified as Gideon, who currently oversees the site, revealed that construction stalled following a contractual dispute between the contractor and government.

According to him, the matter is currently before the courts.

A phone call to the chief executive officer of Amecben Enterprise, Benjamin Ngoswini, confirmed the situation.

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"I cannot speak much on the matter because we are currently in court over the project," he stated.

PROMISES AND DELAYS

The failure to complete the project has become a source of frustration for residents and sports enthusiasts in the Upper East Region.

What was initially promised as a nine-month project has remained incomplete for almost nine years, denying the youth of Navrongo and surrounding communities access to modern sporting and developmental facilities.

During a campaign tour of Navrongo ahead of the 2024 general elections, then Vice President and New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia assured chiefs and residents that the project would be completed before the elections.

However, with the elections now behind the country and the facility still abandoned, many residents are questioning when the long-awaited youth resource centre will finally become a reality.

CALLS FOR ACTION

Sports stakeholders, youth groups, and residents continue to urge the government and all relevant parties to resolve the legal and contractual issues surrounding the project.

For many young people in the Upper East Region, the completion of the Navrongo Youth Resource Centre is not just about sports. It represents opportunities for talent development, skills training, employment creation, and community growth.

Until decisive action is taken, the multi-million-cedi facility will remain a stark reminder of unfulfilled promises and a missed opportunity for youth development in northern Ghana.

By Ibrahim Abode