Vice-President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has announced the initiation of the construction of 100 astro turfs throughout Ghana in the current year.
Speaking at the 48th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) awards, Dr. Bawumia emphasized the need for a modern approach to sports facilities management to maximize benefits and maintain standards.
He urged sports federations to revitalize calendars to ensure optimal use of facilities. The Vice-President stressed the importance of maintaining and utilizing sports infrastructure to make Ghana a hub of sports tourism and a West African training center.
The SWAG awards celebrated outstanding achievements in sports journalism and honored athletes across various categories.
Gary Al Smith of the Multi Media Group was named SWAG Journalist of the Year, while Comfort Yeboah of Ampem Darkoa Ladies won Female Footballer of the Year (Home-based).
The event also recognized Black Stars and West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus as the Sports Personality of the Year and Male Footballer of the Year (Foreign-based).
“if we do not build more infrastructure and also prioritise the maintenance of sports facilities, including the new ones we are building.”
Dr. Bawumia reiterated the government’s commitment to sports development, highlighting investments in sports infrastructure. The government’s ambitious agenda includes constructing multipurpose sports stadiums in each region and hosting the African Games to create world-class facilities for various sports disciplines.
The commitment extends to building the Urology and Nephrology Centre of Excellence at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, which is set to be operational by the end of 2024.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, emphasized the African Games as an opportunity to strengthen collaboration across the continent.
SWAG President Kwabena Yeboah expressed concerns about the state of some sports infrastructure and called for robust systems to ensure their sustainability.