The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has revealed that his government has set-up its first cattle ranch in the Afram Plains to help deal with the Fulani herdsmen and cattle menace.

Speaking at Adaklu, on day 2 of his 3-day tour of the Volta Region, at the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a multi-purpose youth and sports resource centre, President Akufo-Addo stated that, in fulfillment of the pledge he made in the run-up to the 2016 elections, his government has begun the construction of ranches across the country.

According to President Akufo-Addo, “The first ranch has been established at the Afram Plains, and we have chosen several sites around the country where we are going to establish these rances in order to bring the cattle into safe, secure environment, so that the desecration of the land you are witnessing here will be a thing of the past.”

The President assured the Chiefs and people of Adaklu that “we have begun the first one, and we will continue. I know one is scheduled to be set up for this area.”

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Hon. Isaac Asiamah, MP, who was present at the ceremony explained that the construction of the multi-purpose youth and sports centres of excellence in the 10 regions of the country is being done at the behest of President Akufo-Addo.

The deliberate provision of these facilities, the Minister stressed, “has never happened before in this country. It is a major intervention by the President in making sure that we have modern sporting facilities across the country.”

With the initial design for the Adaklu Youth and Sports Resource Centre meant to have a 5,000-seating capacity, Hon. Isaac Asiamah, noted that with the intervention of the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa, the Adaklu facility will now have a 10,000-seating capacity.

“This is not just a sports stadium, it is more than a sports stadium because of its additional facilities. When it is completed, it will have a FIFA-standard football pitch, a modern 9-lane athletic track, tennis courts, basketball, handball and volley ball courts, and a modern gymnasium,” he revealed.

Additionally, the facility, the Minister said, has been fitted with a counselling centre, an ICT centre, an entrepreneurship centre and a modern restaurant.

To the President, Hon. Isaac Asiamah stated that “What you are doing, within 4 years of your administration, in terms of sports infrastructure and youth facilities, has never happened in the country. You will be remembered tomorrow as the President who provided modern sporting facilities in the country.”

All ten projects, the Sports Minister assured, will be commissioned April of 2019, after which the next phase of construction for 10 more youth and sports development centres will begin.

On his part, President Akufo-Addo noted that, apart from his government’s determination to create opportunities for Ghanaian youth to find work, “they must have places of recreation and for developing their sporting prowess. This multi-purpose resource centre will respond to that need.”