Government has urged the private sector to assist it develop the sports infrastructure across the country. Government said private sector support will go a long way to address sports infrastructural deficit in the regions. The sports infrastructural deficit, government said, requires serious advocacy to woo in more investment in the sports sector.
Speaking to the media after inspecting some sports facilities in Tamale, Minister of Sports Mahama Ayariga lamented about serious encroachment on recreational lands in urban centers and urged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and the regional coordinating councils to protect lands meant for sporting activities.
On the management of the existing facilities, the sports minister said government initially was considering private management of sports stadia with the hope of profitable utilization of the facilities. This was, however, not receiving positive response.
During his rounds at the Tamale sports stadium, the two hotels at the stadium were yet to be completed since 2008. When Zaa News caught up with the sports mistress of Tamale Senior High School (TAMASCO), Doris Samari, she said the pitch needs serious maintenance.
According to her, schools will reopen next week and inter-houses games will take place in the abandoned pitch because the school has no any alternative. Even though four big poly tanks have been provided to water the green grass, the tanks are empty.
The consultant to the project, Infrastructure Solutions and the Allan-Ghana cannot be traced. According to Madam Doris, Green Grass technology only visits the pitch during the rainy season.
But sports minister Mahama Ayariga who is also the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central who expressed dissatisfaction about the management of TAMASCO pitch, hinted that government will take Green Grass technology on for abandoning the pitch.
Mahama Ayariga said, government is planning to use TAMASCO as a temporal sports academy and will develop the sports infrastructure and facilities so that it will serve as a sports college for coaches and other sporting disciplines.
At the Tamale Youth Home Volleyball court, the minister government will shift its attention to other sporting disciplines in the country. The focus over the years has been on only football to the neglect of lesser-known sports like handball, basket ball, and volley ball in the Northern Region. Hon. Yariga said this during when he visited the Tamale Youth Home Volleyball Club.
The Chairman of the Tamale Youth Home volleyball club, Salifu Damma, commended the sports Minister for his visit and appealed to him to support the group to enhance a conducive environment for proper training.
From the TAMASCO predicament, one thing is clear, the sports development in the Northern Region still has a long way to go and government may have to put in stringent measures to ensure that people are responsible for their actions and omissions.
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