Ashaiman grateful to Bawumia as works on first astroturf begins

Community leaders in Ashaiman have expressed gratitude to the Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for facilitating the construction of a park for them.

Work to transform the vast Ashaiman Roman Catholic Park into a modern astro turf has already commenced, and on Saturday, community leaders gathered to symbolically cut a sod and pray for the success of the project.

The construction of the astro turf was at the instance of Vice President Bawumia, following a direct appeal to him by a group of young footballers in Ashaiman who paid a courtesy call on him when they won this year's edition of the Ramadan Cup football tournament.

After presenting a cash reward to the team from Ashaiman, the Zongo Chief, who led the team to the Vice President, said Ashaiman, despite being a hub for footballers, did not have an astro turf for the youth to play football on.

Dr. Bawumia expressed surprise when he heard Ashaiman did not have an astro turf, and pledged to get one built for them once they secured a place for it.

Following the community's decision to situate the land at the Roman Catholic School, the sod was cut for the commencement of work, which is scheduled to be completed and handed over to the community in six months.

At the sod-cutting ceremony, various community stakeholders, including the Queenmother of Ashaiman, who represented the traditional council, expressed gratitude to Dr. Bawumia for intervening to get an astro turf for them.

"It's long overdue and other communities have had their share. We are happy that we are also getting our share and we thank Dr. Bawumia," the Queenmother said.

The Zongo Chief of Ashaiman, accompanied by a number of tribal Chiefs in Ashaiman, also thanked Dr. Bawumia for taking steps to get the park project started, just as he pledged.

The youth of Ashaiman, represented by Alhaji Mohammed Jibril, who is also the Chairman of the Ashaiman Footballers Association, expressed joy at the commencement of work for the construction, saying the youth is excited for the project.

The Presidential Coordinator for Zongo Development, Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda, expressed the commitment of Dr. Bawumia to, as President, see to the expansion of the astro turf to communities without one.

He added that the construction of the Ashaiman Park was dear to Dr. Bawumia’s heart due to the special request made to him by the community.

"In shaa Allah, in six months, he will be here himself to commission it as President."