Minister appeals for sports stadium

Mr Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, Eastern Regional Minister, has appealed to the Chinese Government to help the region construct a modern sports stadium to help promote sports development, and create employment for the youth.

He said the Eastern Region has a large number of good athletes who can be nurtured into international stars, but due to lack of appropriate facilities for training, many of those talents are going waste while others are forced to leave the region to other parts of the country.

Mr Antwi-Boasiako made the appeal when the Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, Ms Sun Baohong, paid a courtesy call on him at Koforidua.

He disclosed that the Regional Coordinating Council had acquired a large tract of land for the construction of a modern stadium for the development of sports in the region.

He said, the region has large tourist attraction that needs to be developed to international standards.

The Regional Minister appealed to the Chinese Business community to enter into partnership with their Ghanaian partners and the District Assemblies in the region, to help develop those facilities.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, said research had indicated that, in 2013 and 2014, about 36 per cent of girls in basic schools in the region dropped out of school for various reasons.

She said the Regional Coordinating Council and other relevant institutions had, therefore, put up a proposals to help keep the girls in school, and ensure that they progress in their education, so as to grow up to become responsible adults.

The Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, Ms Baohong, said the Cape Coast Sports Stadium is the third sports stadium that the Chinese had constructed in Ghana, and pledged that the Chinese government is always ready to support the development of Ghana.

She observed that woman are always careful and duty conscious when they are in leadership positions, and gave the assurance that her office will always support efforts at promoting the education of the girl-child.

The Ambassador, therefore, invited the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister to her office for further discussions on the issue.