The multipurpose Youth and Sports Resource Center in Axim in the Western Region, is set to be completed in April 2023.
According to the Lead Consultant of the project in Axim, Mr. Edward Nyonator, the multipurpose facility located in the Western Region is 84% complete and would be handed over to the National Youth Authority (NYA) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, next month after competition.
This was disclosed during a tour led by Mr. Pius Enam Hadzide the Chief Executive Officer of NYA, together with the former Member of Parliament (MP)for the constituency Madam Catherine Afeko, the District Chief Executive Dorcas Elizabeth Amoah, and other officials on Monday.
On why the project had taken long to be completed since 2018, Mr. Hadzide debunked claims that the 5000-capacity Axim Sports Stadium had been abandoned with the state’s funds wasted.
He said, “It is never true that the project had been neglected and taxpayers’ money wasted. Except it delayed for some time owing to the change in the scope of the project with other facilities later included”.
In 2018, the government cut sod for the construction of 10 multipurpose youth resource centers in Axim and other parts of the country.
Per the contract, the facilities were expected to be completed in nine months, however, it was delayed due to global economic challenges and changes to the project to host other facilities including a hostel.
Mr. Hadzide explained that “the initial conception of the project has changed significantly and had since affected the deadline for the completion of work”.
On the Axim Youth Resource Centre, he said, two additional stands, walling, major drains, flood lights, ticketing booths, and a multipurpose court for basketball, long tennis, and handball, and also a eight-lane tartan tracks have been added to make the facility open to many indoor and outdoor disciplines.
“So we started off with a small space for youth congregation focusing on primary football and some outdoor games like volleyball and netball, which got improved to a four-stand, 5000 capacity which is expandable, with additional facilities including hostels,” he stated.
He added that last year, it was agreed by the Governing Board of the NYA to mainly focus on the completion of six of the multipurpose youth resource centers, before shifting attention to the remaining four.
The six centers selected were in Wa, Dunkwa-On-Offin, Dormaa Ahenkro, Koforidua, Ho, and Axim which are all in advanced stages of completion, with the remaining centers in Accra, Nyinahin, Yendi, and Navrongo to be completed in the next phase.
On the cost of the project, the NYA CEO clarified that, so far, $11.5 million had been spent on all of the 10 youth and sports resource centers currently under construction.
He said about Ghc18 million had been spent on the Axim Youth and Sports center.
Mr. Hadzide promised Ghanaians that his outfit and the Ministry of Youth and Sports were committed to youth development in the country, hence would ensure the project was completed in time to start operations to unearth talents for the country.
He appealed to stakeholders including the managers of the District Assembly Common Fund to make funds available for the completion of the project.
The Axim Multipurpose Youth Resource Centre is expected to have a hostel, a main entrance, eight-lane titan tracks, the football pitch with a natural grass, ticketing booths, parking areas, flood lights, offices, changing rooms, a Presidential and a VIP lounge, popular stands, restaurant, ICT centers and a multipurpose-courts for basketball, tennis, and volleyball after completion.
