The Ministry of Youth and Sports has allocated an amount of ?100 million for the rehabilitation of the Sekondi Gyandu Park.

The sector Minister, Mr Edward Osei-Kwaku stated this when he answered questions in Parliament yesterday.

He said the ministry has also released an amount of ?25 million out ?40 million promised for the improvement of sports facilities at Kpando while ?30 million has also been released to support a similar project in the Central Region. The minister indicated that when he assumed office in November last year, he inspected all sports infrastructural facilities in the country and he observed that these facilities existed in name.

He said there was therefore, the urgent need to rehabilitate these facilities and improve their standards to an appreciable level.

He appealed to district assemblies to allocate portions of their Common Fund for the development of sports in the districts and asked MPs to assist in this respect.

He said the ministry is in the process of establishing community playing fields in parts of the country and mentioned the Kumasi Dogomoro Park, Ashaiman and Madina as some of the areas earmarked for the commencement of the project. Responding to a question posed by Mr Kwakye Addo (NDC, Afram Plains South) as to plans by the ministry to promote women?s soccer in the country, Mr Osei-Kwaku said the impressive performance of the national women?s soccer team, the Black Queens, on the African scene which culminated in its participation in the FIFA Women?s World Cup Tournament in 1999 in the United States of America (USA), gave women?s soccer the necessary boost and urge to achieve more laurels for the country.

He said three players of the team are currently undergoing a training programme in China while two others are going through a similar programme in the USA. In an answer to another question, the minister said technical and financial assistance have been provided for the organisation of and provision of facilities for long camping programmes for the team at the National Sports College at Winneba.

He said the said camping programme is expected to commence in the first week of July and end by the end of August, 2002.