Kaladan At Standstill

Construction works at the Kalandan Park in Tamale, which came to a halt as a result of non-provision of funds, is now progressing with the re-grassing of the field.

Construction of a grandstand, offices, commentary box, VIP Lounge and the popular stand are still at a standstill due to non-availability of funds.

Mr. Gabriel Yaw Missodey, Northern Regional Organizer of the National Sports Council (NSC) told the GNA Sports at Tamale that the government did not provide enough funds for contractors working on the project, which has led to the undue delay in completing the rehabilitation of the park.

He said about 200 million cedis was released for the Department of Parks and Gardens, which was woefully inadequate to complete the project adding that if funds are provided the project would be completed in no time.

Mr. Missodey said the delay was affecting not only the performance of RTU but sports and athletics in general in the region and called on government to take pragmatic steps to provide funds to complete the park.

Mr. Nantogma Adam Wumbei, Regional Landscape Designer of Parks and Gardens, the contractors working on the re-grassing aspect, said they had re-grassed more than half the park and gave the assurance that the re-grassing aspect would be complete this week.

He said the department was still having problems with funds to continue watering the grass and construct the drainage system to get rid of excess water during heavy rains.

He said there was the need for continuous maintenance of the park including watering and picking of bad weeds and application of organic manure to enhance the rapid growth of the grass.

Mr. Wumbei said the Department bought 981 loads of black soil for the levelling of the park from three different contractors amounting to 134,540,000 cedis. He said, "The 200 million cedis approved by government this year for constructional works could not even pay for the soil we bought, since other taxes were taken from the money".

He said about 300 million cedis would still be needed so that the Department could pay what it owed contractors and over 35 casual workers employed to work on the park.

He appealed to the Northern Regional Coordinating Council to help provide enough water tanks for watering the grass during the dry season adding that the department also intends to plant about 100 trees in and around the park.