Construction of a proposed AstroTurf at Tadiem Park in Asante Mampong in the Ashanti region has stalled following a dispute between the project's financier and the Municipal Assembly over whether the required approval process was followed before work began.

The disagreement centres on a project intended to provide a recreational facility for young people in the municipality. While the project's financier says the Assembly halted construction despite significant private investment, the Assembly maintains that work commenced without the necessary engagement and review of technical plans.

Speaking at a news conference in Mampong, philanthropist Beatrice Nana Yaw Owarewaa Siaw said she initiated the project in response to the absence of an AstroTurf and a public park for the town's youth.

Madam Siaw, who says she intends to contest the New Patriotic Party's parliamentary primary for the Asante Mampong constituency ahead of the 2028 general election, said the project was not politically motivated.

"As I was constructing the AstroTurf, unfortunately I was stopped by the Assembly. Right now in Mampong we do not have an AstroTurf, and we don't have any park for the people or the youth to play on."

She said the project formed part of more than 40 initiatives she had personally funded in the municipality without government support. "I did this not to gain votes, not for any politics or any financial gain. I did this to promote sportsmanship within Asante Mampong."

According to Madam Siaw, she financed drainage works, site levelling and other preparatory works at Tadiem Park before construction was halted. "I spent over 500,000 Ghana cedis. I've also constructed the drains and levelled the park. I received a stop letter to stop, saying that first the pitch was too small."

She questioned why she had been asked to sign an undertaking before continuing with the project, arguing that she had not been required to do so for other community projects she had undertaken in the municipality.

Madam Siaw also said the drainage works had helped address flooding around Tadiem Park. "That whole park, all the way up into the lorry station, was flooded. People's houses were flooded. I used my own money to do all of these things."

The Municipal Chief Executive, Yakubu Yussif, disputed Madam Siaw's account, saying the Assembly's objection related to procedure rather than the project itself. "You cannot just come without engaging the municipal assembly. You have to bring your work for us to look at it, the designs, whether it fits."

Mr Yussif said construction began before the Assembly received the project's technical designs or entered into any written or verbal agreement with Madam Siaw. "When we asked her to bring the designs and other things, she was finding it difficult."

He said traditional leaders later intervened and asked both parties to meet to discuss the project. "The chiefs invited us. They asked us to go and sit down with her and then agree, and let the traditional authority also see so they could also bring their input."

Mr Yussif said the Assembly had already included Tadiem Park in its development plans, which include greening and fencing the facility. He said technical designs had been prepared with support from a university, and that discussions had also been held with the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation through the Ashanti Regional Minister to support the project.

He maintained that the Assembly welcomed contributions from philanthropists but said development projects on public land must follow the appropriate procedures. "If you are a philanthropist who wants to come in, at least you should do the needful. It is not like somebody is preventing somebody."

Mr Yussif said the Assembly remained committed to improving the facility for residents. "The youth are eagerly waiting to see that field done. I, as the Municipal Chief Executive, would be very glad if anybody comes on board. But now the Assembly has the capacity to do it."

Construction of the proposed AstroTurf remains on hold as the Municipal Assembly and the project's financier continue to offer different accounts of the circumstances that led to the suspension of the work.