Some irate youth and residents within the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA), have kicked against the development by the Municipal Assembly led by the Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Ernest Norgbey and Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Freeman Tsekpo to use a portion of the Presbyterian School Park for the construction of a 12-Unit classroom block.
On Monday, January 12, the MP for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey together with his able-MCE Freeman Tsekpo, cut the sod for the construction of a 12-unit classroom block at the Ashaiman Presbyterian School.
According to a Facebook post made by the MP on his official account, the project will significantly improve learning outcomes by providing students with a more conducive teaching and learning environment.
He added that educational infrastructure remains a core pillar of that agenda and that he is committed to advancing while investing in quality learning spaces is essential to securing a brighter future for our children.
This means that the venue that is used for sporting activities and other community events, having served the good people of Zongo Laka, Sikafo Ambantem, Agege Market and other neighborhoods areas for decades will be used for an equally important purpose for the community.
However, acting on hearsay, hundreds of youth and residents within the community stormed the school premises on Friday afternoon to angrily protest against the process, calling the contractor on site to stop working.
According to them, the park is the only playground in the community that serves the above neighboring areas.
“This park serves as a recreational center where functions are being held to entertain the community. The likes of Ex-Black Starlets Legend Awudu Issaka, Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey, Francis Narh, former U20, just to mention few are all products from this park.
We plead with the GFA president, who is interested in training the grassroots players to rescue the park from being used. We have no AstroTurf’s here in Ashaiman, yet the available sandy pitches we manage are being destroyed”, an advocate for #FIXThePark and a Community Football Blogger, Hassan Ibrahim Dabooh said.
Another protestor who agreed to speak on anonymity also expressed his displeasure, calling the actions by both the MCE and MP as ‘unfair’.
“This park has been here for ages. They could have used the old JHS block for this project and allowed the park to be there. It is because their children do not school here and that is why they are doing this. Where do they want these children to play? We are not okay, and we will not allow this to happen,” he said.
A passerby who chanced on the protest also shared her frustration and called out the school authorities to do what is necessary.
“They should have moved the students to the newly built classrooms and demolish the old building, so the school will look nice to people. When this is done, the students will have enough space to also engage in sporting activities,” she added.
The MCE, Hon Freeman Tsekpo who received calls about the incident announced his presence at the scene to restore calm.
He ordered an immediate suspension of the construction process and assured the aggrieved youth and residents that further consultations would be held to reach a fruitful conclusion.
However, in his earlier speech during the sod-cutting ceremony, he disclosed that the directive was from the government and not of the Assembly.
“We have received not less than 20 million cedis of the 80% of the Common Fund released by the government. Out of this, HE John Mahama through Parliament has directed classroom blocks must be built. Our goal is specifically to satisfy the needs of Presbyterian School where we will build this 12-unit classroom block”, he elaborated.
The project is about 4 million cedis and the funds are available for the contractor,” he said according to a video on Facebook by Ashaiman Sweet.
The whole protest took a different twist on social media when some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ashaiman took sides with the Municipal Assembly while others were against the decision. A staunch NDC member, Mystik GH said;
“How we Dey nurture Talents sen? This is not a government property! It is a private/Missionary property, and they can decide what to do with their land.. Let us face the fact and stop beating about the bush.. I have a school park at Kubekrom so how do you want me to react to a situation like this when I want to develop my own park? I am doing to fence that park and stop them immediately!
Replying to Mystik’s post, another NDC member Abdullah Yussif, had this to say; “ Mystik GH I see, a government project on a private property ? Who are the protestors? There is no need building on that park. What is that old facility doing for them to come waste the land ? If it is a private property then i am sure the owner of the place gave the protesters the chance to protest. It is as simple abcd.. Isn’t your team training on that pitch?
According to reports, some residents are ready to return to the school premises today as they are keen on ensuring work on the park is halted until all stakeholders come to a consensus.
By: Linus Siaw Nartey
