A viral video captured scenes of residents—mostly children and teenagers—swimming and playing football on the waterlogged pitch, which had effectively transformed into a massive pool.

The facility, constructed by Ghana Gas at an estimated cost of $200,000, began in 2018. At the time, Joseph Cudjoe, then Member of Parliament for the Effia Constituency, emphasised the importance of such recreational spaces in nurturing local football talent.

He stated, “The reason for the plethora of recreational facilities in Effia is to use them as a vehicle through which football talents develop. These parks are where the awakening of the national teams that we want will begin. Many of such astro turfs will be built all over Effia.”

By 2020, the pitch was completed and officially opened to the public.

However, drainage concerns have plagued the facility for years. David Tetteh, a retired footballer and academy coach at Sedan FC, confirmed that flooding has been a recurring issue.

“This was not the first time we have seen it flood. Usually, after a few hours of rain, the surface area gets filled with rainwater,” he said.

“This time, it rained for a while, so I am not surprised that the entire playing surface was submerged in water,” he added.

The latest flooding incident highlights the ongoing drainage problems, which were severely tested by the persistent rains that hit the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

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The sandy pitch, which was renovated into a modern grass Astroturf in 2020, has been turned into a drying area.

The project was one of many under the Akufo-Addo’s flagship programme ‘one constituency one Astroturf’ to harness over 200 football pitches in the country.

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Speaking at the commissioning of Enyan Abaasa Astroturf, the chief who doubles as the Vice President for the Central Regional House of Chiefs said no child aged 12 years and not schooling will be allowed to play on Astroturf as part of their punishment.

He said the Enyan Abaasa Community is happy to get an Astroturf park because it is the first Community to get an Astroturf park in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam District.

Osagyefo Kwamena Akonu X commended the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation foundation for constructing the modern Astroturf for the community.

He advised xhildren in the Enyan Abaasa Community to make good of the Astroturf on which their talent will be unearthed and developed.

“This Astroturf will help the school xhildren to use their talents well instead of wasting their time on useless things such as smoking weed, drinking alcohol, and unscrupulous things that won’t benefit them,” he added.

The chief also said the Enyan Abaasa Community is having vast land for the community to get durbar grounds.

He appealed to the GNPC foundation, Non-Governmental Organisations, Private Individuals, Philanthropists and Private Individuals to support the Enyan Abaasa Community to get durbar grounds.

The District Chief Executive for Ajumako Enyan Essiam District, Emmanuel Ransford Kwesi Nyarko, on his part assured the good people of Enyan Abaasa and the Ajumako Enyan Essiam District that he will do his best to develop the communities in the district to an appreciable level before the time he leaves office.

According to him, communities in the Ajumako Enyan Essiam district also deserve an Astroturf.

The Chief Executive Officer for the GNPC foundation, Dominic Eduah, on his part advised the people of Enyan Abaasa to make good use of the Astroturf and also adopt a good culture of maintenance for the project to last long.

He said, over 3.5 million Ghana Cedis is required to construct the astroturf which is expected to last over 20 years.

This is part of the government’s commitment to promoting sports in schools. President Akufo-Addo said the provision of the required infrastructure in that regard is critical.

“Government, through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is committed to promoting sports in our schools, and is fully supportive of corporate initiatives in this direction” he noted.

President Akufo-Addo added that the provision of the requisite infrastructure is critical if Ghana is to regain its pride of place in sports on the continent and the world.

The ‘Number 12’ documentary brought football activities in the country to a standstill.

Top football administrator and top member of the FA’s hierarchy were exposed in the documentary.

Speaking on the Ultimate Sports Show on Asempa FM, Mrs Akorfa Startimes was willing to construct the pitches in fulfilment of their part of the contract the had with the erstwhile FA until the ‘Number 12’ video.  

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“After the first year of the deal, ‘Number 12’ was aired and football activities were halted.

“The Ghana FA was supposed to give us lands for the construction of the astroturf pitches.

“I am aware they gave us a place to begin the construction of one of the pitches but things couldn’t come together properly.

“We have signed a new deal with the FA so we are now obliged to fulfil our part of the new deal but the construction of the pitches now does not exist,” she added.

StarTimes Ghana signed a ten-year deal with the Ghana Football Association under the Kwesi Nyantakyi’s administration.

The contract at the time obliged the pay-per-view television outfit to construct ten astroturf pitches across the regions in a deal that was worth $17.9m.