“Stay off! This is a FIFA Forward Project for the Ghana Football Association” GFA refute NPP Projects Bureau’s report on Bolgatanga Astroturf

National Division One League board member and Kurt Okraku’s boy, Sheikh Tophic Abdul-Kadir Sienu has refuted the National Patriotic Party Projects Bureau’s report linking the government to the construction of the Bolgatanga astroturf.

The Projects Bureau of the New Patriotic Party, had on April 30th posted on Facebook that the Bolgatanga Astroturf will soon be completed and handed over to the Ghana Football Association by the government.

The statement reads, “An AstroTurf at Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Ghana. The project will soon be completed and handed over to the Ghana Football Association.”

Reacting to the news, the Division One League board member angrily said: “Hey! Please stay off! This is a FIFA Forward Project for the Ghana Football Association. We appreciate the government’s efforts in building some of these Astroturfs in some parts of the country. But this particular project in Bolga is CERTAINLY NOT one of them. Thank you,” Sheikh Tophic Abdul-Kadir Sienu stated on Facebook.

The FA secured a 6.5acre land in 2020 for the construction of the Astroturf field at Winkogo in the Talensi District of the Upper East region under the FIFA goal forward 1 project.

This follows the decision of the Executive Council to use part of the project funds from the FIFA Forward 1.0 programme for the construction of two Astro Turfs: one at Prampram and the other in Bolgatanga.

The construction of the pitch in Bolgatanga has since started after the Ghana FA were able to clear the AstroTurf and other facilities from the port.

The project seeks to nurture and develop the youth in various sporting disciplines to realize their full potential.

The land, which was donated by Mr. Ababu Afelibik, headmaster of the Bolgatanga Senior High School, has been duly registered in the name of the Ghana Football Association.

This will be the first time the capital will be equipped with a playing field as they have not had one in years.

Other projects earmarked under FIFA Forward 1.0 will be announced by the GFA president in due course.

The pitch, when completed, will serve the people of Bolgatanga and its environs.