If you don’t live with us in the Bawku general area to feel the fear and trepidation of being shot at by irascible gunmen, you would NEVER imagine the unthinkable occurence of seeing a large crowd of locals watching a football match at Azum- Sapeliga, a few kilometres from the Bawku SHS on 27th December 2023. And wonders upon wonders, there was no visible military and police presence to protect the crowd! And It was unthinable to see that Mahama Ayariga, Bawku Central MP and Hajia Zainab, an Accra Kusasis Queen mother were among the VIP guests in attendance at the football match. Unbelievable!
The first questions they asked when the astro turf was constructed were:
(1). Is Ghana Gas not based at Atuabo in the Ellembele District of the Western Region?
(2). Why does Ghana Gas not restrict its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects to the communities immediately impacted by the Atuabo Gas Infrastructure Project.?
(3). Why did Ghana Gas construct an astro turf at Azum-Sapeliga in the Bawku general area conflict zone, which is over one thousand kilometres away from Atuabo?
If those who asked the above questions lived with us in the Bawku general area from December 2021 to December 2023 and experienced the activities of criminals taking advantage of the Bawku conflict to rob, kill, and maim people, they should be able to ask the following question on 27th December 2023:
DID DR. BEN ASANTE OF GHANA GAS FORESEE THE POSITIVE IMPACT OF CONSTRUCTING AN ASTRO TURF IN THE BAWKU GENERAL AREA?
Fellow Citizens, I have seem with my own two eyes how an astro turf constructed by the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) in the Bawku general area has proven to be a critical piece of infrastructure serving the people well.
Strategically located close to the Bawku- Bolgatanga highway at Azum-Sapelliga; with close proximity to the Bawku SHS, the project has in recent times hosted a number of football games played to foster peaceful coexistence in the Bawku general area, and the whole Kusuag Traditional Area (Bawku Central,, Binduri, Zebilla, Tempane, Garu and Pusiga constituencies).
For instance, on Tuesday, 26th November 2023, a football match was played between soldiers of the N0. 11 Mechanized Batalion and the youth in the Bawku general area.
Also, as part activities marking the 2023 l Samanpiid festival of the Chiefs and people of Kusaug, a football gala was organised for the youth in Bawku Municipality and the districts of Binduri, Garu, Pusiga, Tempane and Bawku West (Zebilla).
All ten (10) games were played on the Azum-Saoeliga astro turf.
The Zawse community, located in the Binduri District, was crowned champions of the 2023 Sampiid Football gala after beating Gingande (located in Bawku Central) 3:1 in the final game, which was played on Wednesday, 27th December 2023.
The final game drew a large crowd from the six districts.
Being the first of its kind in the Bawku general area, the astro turf gets the youth buzzing and locals in districts such as Tempane, Garu and Zebilla now travel to Azum-Sapeliga to host and play local football matches on the astrio turf.
Seeing the large crowd watching a football match at Azum-Sapeliga without fear of gunmen shooting to kill and maim them on 27th December 2023, I repeat the question:
Did Dr. Ben Asante of Ghana Gas foresee the positive impact of constructing an astro turf in the Bawku general area?
I shall return!
From the desk of the Permanent Representative and Ambassador Extraordinaire/Plenipotentiary to BAWKU
*28th December 2023