The youth of Ho and Adaklu in the Volta Region have voiced their frustration over the stalled Youth Resource Center at Tsrefe, a project intended to promote sports in the area.
The facility, initiated with great promise, must be completed and addressed, sparking significant discontent among local youth. Despite the setbacks, the youth remain determined to see this project through to its completion.
The construction of the Youth Resource Development Center began in 2018 under the direction of former Youth and Sports Minister Isaac Asiamah.
The project was slated for completion within nine months. However, six years later, the site remains unfinished, exposed to the elements, and in a state of disrepair.
The dissatisfaction among the youth has intensified following the 66th National Independence Day Anniversary Celebration, which was held at the incomplete facility.
Despite rapid progress in the months before the event, the centre’s construction still needed to meet the expected deadline.
The project’s neglect has led to accusations that the government, under President Nana Akufo-Addo and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, is indifferent to the needs of the region’s youth. The youth feel that their voices and concerns have been consistently overlooked, and the lack of progress in the Youth Resource Center is seen as a clear example of this neglect.
The construction firm responsible, Wilcado Construction Company Ltd, has reportedly abandoned the site, leaving only a minimal workforce and no equipment.
The facility is now characterized by deteriorating infrastructure: the VIP stand is in disrepair, ceilings are falling apart, glass windows are broken, air conditioners need to be fixed, and the grounds are overgrown with weeds.
The football field is barren, lacking goalposts, and the once-decorative seating has faded.
In addition to the concerns about the Youth Resource Center, the youth have also expressed deep disappointment with the ongoing neglect of the Ho Sports Stadium, which has yet to be renovated since its establishment in 1957 despite numerous appeals for upgrades.
Local representatives Raymond Kudjoe Tsiagbe and Foster Osei have voiced their grievances, asserting that the government has neglected the Volta Region’s youth.
They have warned that if the situation does not improve, the youth are prepared to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to force government action.
