Azumah Nelson Complex's site engineer pleads for more time

The reconstruction works on the Azumah Nelson Sports Complex was to have been completed by July this year, but it is nowhere near completion as work has stalled for more than two months now.

When he cut the sod for the GHC18-million facelift in March 2018, the Youth and Sports Minister, Mr Isaac Asiamah, said the project was expected to be completed in July 2019, but four months after that deadline, and despite ongoing works, the facility looks far from finished.It is now unclear what the new deadline will be.

The site engineer overseeing the reconstruction of the multipurpose sports facility, Paul Atanga, told the Graphic Sports that his outfit needed time to put up structures that could stand the test of time.

Mr Atanga of the Newcase Construction Limited says there is massive pressure to complete the project before the year ends but stated that was impossible due to the swampy nature of the venue and its surroundings.

“Everywhere is waterlogged so we have to take our time and drain the water, the rainy season also didn’t help matters and after draining the water, we can level the land and plant the grass,” he told this paper in an interview at the site last Tuesday.

He maintained that the project could be completed early next year barring any unforeseen challenges, and added that they had been working day and night to fast-track work on the project.

Mr Atanga, however, failed to give specific timelines, explaining that a new consultant had taken over the project and his outfit was yet to meet with him.

“We now have a new consultant for the project and is only when we sit down with him and decide then I can tell you when the sports complex will be complete,” he noted

Graphic Sports at the venue
When the Graphic Sports visited the venue, an excavator was drawing water from a dug-out onto the main field as workers supervised the operation.

Mr Atanga told this paper that the excavator was creating a convergence hole where all the human excreta from all the water closet toilets will flow into.

“A culvert has been laid underground to allow the flow of excess water away from the field to the main gutter so that we can drain the swamp,” the site engineer indicated.

He further disclosed that all the seats had been constructed and balusters were being fitted on top to prevent spectators from falling.

He also revealed that tartan tracks and a built-in road linking the outer arena of the complex to the inner perimeter was also being constructed.

Swimming pools and tennis courts
Mr Atanga noted that his outfit was yet to construct other sporting facilities, including swimming pools and tennis courts, due to their inability to finish the main pitch on time.

But he was hopeful that those facilities would be done as soon as the main field was ready and tartan tracks had been constructed.

“We will start the swimming pool very soon and others will follow, we hope to finish within the shortest possible time,”he stated. Read Full Story