Swedru soccer fans send S.O.S.to government

Agona Swedru, Oct 31, GNA - Football administrators and soccer fans at Agona Swedru have sent "Save Our Soul " (S.O.S) message to the government on the continued deterioration of the Swedru Sport Stadium. The Swedru stadium, which was rated the third biggest in the country apart from Acrra and Kumasi has seen no repairs for some years now and has consequently been turned into an ordinary school park without any maintenance.

This came to light when GNA Sports visited the stadium on Thursday after persistent complains by the management of local clubs and soccer fans at Agona Swedru.

The playing field has developed deep pot holes, became bare and showed clear evidence of serious erosion taking place whenever it rained.

Apart from the playing field, which has been destroyed beyond repairs, the surroundings are so bushy that they provide comfortable abode for all kinds of reptiles. A portion of the park is being used as a farm by the sports council officers.

At the moment the wooden seats have been wiped away; more than half of the roof has been ripped off through rainstorms while the entrance gate is nowhere to be located.

In 1996, the NDC government awarded the stadium on contract in the heat of the elections, but somewhere along the line the contractor abandoned the project for lack of funds.

Nana Kojo Amakye, chairman of Agona Fankobaa football club and Ankobeahene of Agona Swedru said soccer fans are happy about a recent visit to the stadium by the former NPP government Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Osei Kweku , to ascertain the situation for himself. According to Nana Amakye information that reached them indicated that the minister asked the Agona District Assembly to prepare estimates for action to be taken by the ministry but there has been no action eversince..

He said clubs in the district have sent several petitions to the Sports council about the deterioration of the stadium but unfortunately no response has come