“Are you sure that’s the newly constructed Astro turf in the Dagmeo community in Bolgatanga Municipality? Tell me this is not true: but the waste too? Why? Are there no people managing this edifice?” My friend questioned after seeing the pictures?
Some few months ago I remember how we were disappointed over the shoddy works done by the first contractor.
Thanks to the Zongo Ministry’s policy through the Ghana Football Association (GFA) which birthed this idea to construct AstroTurf pitches in some Zongo communities across the country.
But comparing our facility in Bolgatanga to those at Madina, Walewale and the rest, I believe we should be doing more in terms of maintenance.
Considering the back-and-forth in the course of its construction, I was thinking we could have done better; especially after the facility was constructed shoddily twice but failed.
What broke my heart the other day was how event organizers and lovers of football have turned the only beautiful sports edifice in the Bolgatanga Municipality into a dumping site for rubbish.
My heart was more broken because I could not sight a single waste bin around for the disposal of waste.
I will say this is a complete shame on leadership as well as users of the edifice.
Meanwhile, I have gathered that event organizers pay to use the facility and monies are being collected for onward payment into the coffers of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assemblies.
One would have expected that the monies collected will be used to maintain the AstroTurf; but this only remains a dream.
Perhaps, the event organizers tend to litter the edifice with the mind-set that the Assembly will mobilize people to clean and maintain it.
If nothing is done about this mess, I believe it could have a major health impact on the residents of the community and users of the facility as well.
Ekiti state in Nigeria is currently battling cholera with hundreds of patients reportedly losing their lives almost every day.
I do not think that will be what we are gradually getting ourselves into.
Until then, I believe the relevant authorities in-charge of managing the AstroTurf will respond swiftly and get rid of this man-made enemy lurking around unnoticed.
Author: Kennedy Zongbil
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Ghana
