The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr Mustapha Ussif, has disclosed that a sod has been cut for the construction of ten Multi-Purpose Youth Resource Centers across the country.
Aside from this, he said the government has also invested substantially in diverse sports infrastructure across the country.
“Notable among these are the construction of 152 artificial turf pitches across the country and the renovation of stadia in Cape Coast, Kumasi, Accra, and Sekondi highlighting the administration’s unwavering support for youth and sports development,” he emphasized.
He said this on Tuesday after inspecting the Koforidua Multi-Purpose Youth Resource Centre ahead of the scheduled commissioning of six such centres.
The Minister was impressed with the pace of work and directed that a hall should be designated in the facility to help unearth talent and make it a hub for tennis.
He also highlighted the numerous youth-focused initiatives across different sectors, such as the Skills Towards Employability and Productivity Programme (STEP), Youth Livelihood Farms, National Youth Volunteers Programme (NYVP), Planting for Food and Jobs, and the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP), You Start, among others.
Mr Ussif urged the youth to take advantage of these opportunities, adding that the facility was not designated for sports only but for diverse skills training, including IT skills, and guidance and counselling programmes to inculcate the tenets of discipline, hard work and morality in the youth.
The CEO of the National Youth Authority, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide, reiterated the government’s commitment to youth development, assuring the public that all ten resource centres would be completed and commissioned next year, offering a multitude of prospects to the youth for their future aspirations.
“These resource centres, alongside the numerous artificial pitches, stadium renovations and the infrastructure for the 13th African Games will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the nation’s sporting landscape, nurturing future champions and providing the youth with the opportunities they deserve,” he said.
He added that the other five Youth Resource Centres earmarked for commissioning this year include the Wa Youth Resource Centre, Ho Youth Resource Centre, Axim Youth Resource Centre, Dormaa Youth Resource Centre and Dunkwa-on-Offin Youth Resource Centre.
Grace Acheampong, ISD
