Parliamentary Committee on Sports tours Ghana Soccer Centre

Accra, March 2, GNA - The Parliamentary Select Committee on Sports on Wednesday toured the Ghana Soccer Centre for Excellence at Prampram in the Dangbe West District of the Greater Accra Region to acquaint themselves with the activities at the Centre.

The Committee inspected the various ongoing projects and other completed projects including the dressing rooms, a Female block, and a Conference Hall which was recently inaugurated by the Vice President Mr John Dramani Mahama as well as football pitches and dressing rooms for teams in camp.

The Centre which is currently hosting the national Under-14 Black Princesses was established in the 1990's to develop the four pillars of sports 96 administration, coaching, refereeing and sports medicine. Apart from the Black Stars, the 100 acre soccer Excellence Centre serves as the camping destination for all the other national junior teams. Most of the projects were undertaken with the assistance of FIFA in support of the government of Ghana.

Mr Kofi Nsiah, Secretary General of the Ghana Football Association, (GFA) said the Centre has avenues to inculcate into the youth interested in football the needed skills wand were given educational opportunities at the Centre.

He said the Centre because of its strategic location has additional attractions for tourists who mostly troop to the area to while away time. The General Secretary noted that when it was fully developed the Centre would be open to the public for commercial purposes.

Mr Stephen Ackah, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee said the motive behind the establishment of the Centre was laudable. He said the Centre was located at a strategic place that would help proprietors to be focused and concentrate on their training. The Chairman called on the Ministry of Youth and Sports to consider building an Olympic standard stadium of international standard to host all sporting events.

He thanked FIFA for its constant support and pledged the cooperation and support of the committee to ensure the success of the Centre. Mr Dominic Nitiwul, NPP member for Bimbilla said the land should be documented to avoid the incident of litigation from litigants. Mr Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, NDC member for Afram Plains South suggested to the management of the Center et plant trees around the whole land to prevent encroachers from taking over the lands.