By Cecil MENSAH
Wembley Sports Complex Construction Limited (WSCL), the experts in artificial turf construction and management, has revealed that its ‘One Constituency, One Astroturf’ project, if fully operational next month, will provide ten thousand seasonal jobs for the teeming unemployed youth.
Electricians, masons, plumbers, steel benders, heavy duty drivers and carpenters, among others, will grab seasonal jobs under the project to build one artificial turf in each of the 270 constituencies across the country.
The project will employ these artisans at the local levels to boost the economies of the beneficiary districts.
It has the capacity to create not less than 50 seasonal jobs in each of the two hundred and seventy constituencies, bringing the aggregate to over ten thousand seasonal jobs.
Ultimately, the company will be creating 3,240 permanent jobs across the 216 local authority areas (districts) across the country when the turfs are completed.
The company has so far changed the way athletes view the artificial turf concept in the country, making them accept that it has become the preferred choice due to international standards.
Before the construction of artificial turfs in Ghana, natural turfs were considered by many to be the solution for sports fields.
The fledging company has the following personalities as Board Members: Philip Mensah, Managing Director of OmniBank as Chairman; Robert Coleman, Chief Executive Officer of WSCL; Lawyer Kissi Agyemang, as Board Secretary.
The rest are Fiifi Banson of Kasapa FM, Nana Ama Anamoah of GHOne TV, Tony Baffour, a former footballer, Ernest Ofori Asamoah, MD OF Union Capitals, Kwesi Taylor, a businessman and Prof. Hinson, a lecturer at the University of Ghana.
The company has so far constructed four artificial turfs in Kotobaabi, Dzorwulu, Accra Academy and Nungua-Graceland, all in the Accra metropolis.
Astro or Artificial Turf
Astro turf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface which is a short-pile synthetic turf. The name Astro Turf has evolved into a generic trademark and sometimes used to refer to all brands of artificial turfs.
It has become one of the effective ways of promoting physical activity for adults and the youth in sports.
Speaking exclusive to Business Day in Accra, Chief Executive of WSCL, Mr. Robert Coleman explained that the ten thousand seasonal jobs are between the period of commencement and end of the ‘’One District, One Astroturf Project” to be executed in all constituencies.
He said the project on completion will further employ fifteen additional hands who will be permanently engaged to manage the facility at each district level.
He said these fifteen individuals will be trained by experts of the company as part of its transfer of knowledge.
According to him, the company is not only going to leave Accra to go and construct the turf and come back but going to transfer its knowledge to the artisans in the districts.
He said the company has secured a loan facility from OminiBank to kickstart the project in partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports with collaboration from the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).
He said the company intends to purchase gravels, chippings and hire equipment like excavators at the district levels to stimulate growth in the beneficiary districts.
He maintained the Members of Parliament (MPs) have written to the company expressing interest in the project and very soon the contracts will be signed with the interested MPs for the construction of the turfs.
He envisaged that by 2020 Ghana will be able to have more artificial turfs with flood light which can be used for sports development and recreational activities.
