A multi-million cedi sports and youth development facility in Navrongo remains incomplete nearly nine years after construction began, despite initial assurances that the project would be finished within nine months.
The Navrongo Youth Resource Centre, estimated to cost about GH¢7 million, was launched in May 2018 under a nationwide initiative aimed at providing modern sports and youth development facilities across Ghana’s regions.
Today, the site stands largely abandoned. Incomplete structures, broken seats and fire-damaged sections now dominate what was once envisioned as a major hub for sports, skills training and youth empowerment in the Upper East Region.
The Upper East Region remains one of the least served areas in Ghana when it comes to sports infrastructure.
Apart from a few AstroTurf facilities, many Division One and Division Two football clubs continue to train and play on dusty community fields, commonly known as sakora parks.
The Youth Resource Centre project raised hopes among residents when government officials cut sod for construction on May 14, 2018.
Among those present at the ceremony were former Youth and Sports Minister Isaac Kwame Asiamah, former Upper East Regional Minister Rockson Ayine Bukari, former National Youth Authority Chief Executive Emmanuel Sin-nyet Asigri, project consultant Joe Hackman and other dignitaries.
The project was expected to feature a FIFA-standard 5,000-seat football stadium, an eight-lane athletics track, ICT and entrepreneurship centres, career development facilities, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, a restaurant, washroom facilities, floodlights and maintenance units.
Government officials said the centre would help develop sporting talent, create opportunities for young people and support economic growth in the region.
However, the project has failed to meet its completion target, leaving much of the planned infrastructure unfinished.
A recent visit to the site by journalist Ibrahim Abode revealed the extent of the deterioration.
Several structures have been exposed to harsh weather conditions for years, while parts of the facility have suffered damage.
Gideon, a caretaker at the site, said construction stopped because of a dispute between the contractor and the government.
According to him, the matter is currently before the courts.
Benjamin Ngoswini, Chief Executive Officer of Amecben Enterprise, confirmed the existence of the legal dispute.
“I cannot speak much on the matter because we are currently in court over the project,” he said.
The prolonged delay has become a major source of frustration for residents, sports enthusiasts and youth groups in the region.
Many argue that thousands of young people have missed out on opportunities for sports development, skills training and employment because the facility remains unfinished.
During a campaign visit to Navrongo ahead of the 2024 general election, then Vice President and NPP presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia assured chiefs and residents that the project would be completed before the elections.
That promise remains unfulfilled, with the facility still abandoned long after the polls.
Community leaders, sports stakeholders and youth groups continue to urge the government and all parties involved to resolve the legal and contractual issues delaying the project.
For many residents, the completion of the Navrongo Youth Resource Centre is about more than sports infrastructure. They see it as a catalyst for talent development, job creation, skills training and community growth.
Until work resumes, the unfinished GH¢7 million facility will remain a symbol of delayed development and unfulfilled promises in the Upper East Region.
