A NEW 50,000 capacity sports stadium with all modern facilities is to be built at Sekondi, the Western regional capital, to promote sporting activities in the region.

The construction work is expected to begin this year and it would take two years to complete.

As a result of this laudable development the present dilapidated Gyandu Park, where the new stadium will be sited is to be pulled down as soon as all the paper work on the project is completed to pave way for the construction of the new stadium.

The Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), Mr. Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, who made this known at a public forum organised by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sekondi, Papa Owusu Ankomah, last Saturday, said since 18-acre land is needed for the project, his outfit has spoken to those who have residential houses in the area and they have agreed to give up their land for the project.

He said as a result of this agreement, both the Gyandu Cinema Hall and the mosque near the Gyandu Park will soon be razed to the ground to give more space at the site.

Mr. Nkrumah also disclosed that as part of the project, the Essikado Park, near the Regional Administration, will also be rehabilitated to serve as training ground for visiting football teams.

Nkrumah further told the enthusiastic crowd that it was because of this development that the Sekondi Gyandu Park was not mentioned in this year's budget statement as one of the football pitches to be rehabilitated.

Commenting on how the project is going to be financed within the short period of two years, the MCE said since the government alone cannot raise funds to finance the project, private sector developers have been drawn in and they would all have a stake in the new stadium.

He also stated that it is the vision of the NPP government to construct modern stadia at all the regional capitals in the country and that the Gyandu one is the beginning of the vision.

He commended the Minister of Youth and Sports, Hon. Edward Osei Kwaku, who, he said, has committed himself to the early execution of the project.

According to him, their aim was to rehabilitate the park and bring it to acceptable limit but the minister after inspection of the park discarded that idea and decided to construct a new sports stadium instead.

He would, however, not give the cost of the project.

Hon. Papa Owusu Ankomah, on his part, said his removal from the Ministry of Youth and Sports was a blessing in disguise because he would have found it very difficult to implement such a project.

According to him, if he had made an attempt to implement the present project, people would have accused him of using his position to get the stadium constructed in his constituency, even though Sekondi-Takoradi as the third largest city in Ghana deserves to have such a stadium.

He also commended Hon. Osei Kwaku for making it possible for the project to come on as planned.

The Sekondi Gyandu Park, which has produced a lot of football stars from the West, does not currently fit to be a training ground, even for a secondary school team.

The facilities at the park have deteriorated to the extent that not all football fans sometimes find it necessary to go there to watch football matches.

This has resulted in the loss of revenue to the local idol club, Hassacas.