The National Youth Authority (NYA) is unable to hand over the long-standing Nyinahin Youth Resource Center for phase two construction due to structural defects. 

The facility, with major parts constructed in 2019, has seen its walls falling apart, with water and molds eating the corners. 

Chief Executive Officer of NYA, Pius Enam Hadzide, during an inspection of the facility said the Authority is unable to take over the site due to concerns about leakages and other drawbacks.

Sport authorities came under criticism following Luv FM’s uncovering of the dilapidated state of the Nyinahin Youth Resource Center in the Atwima Mponua district. 

The facility, aimed at nurturing budding talents and promoting sports development in the area, has been sitting in weeds. 

In 2017, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, under the government's initiative, announced plans to build 10 youth and sports centers across the country.

But the construction of the Nyinahin Youth Resource Center in the Ashanti region was abandoned.

This left budding football talents in Nyinahin anxious to harness their dreams through the use of the facility in jeopardy. 

The 10 sports complexes incurred an expenditure of approximately $2.5 million from the government.

Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, Pius Enam Hadzide inspected work done on the Nyinahin project with the aim to hand it over for phase two to begin. 

He instructed the phase one contractor, Ultimate Construction Limited to deal with the matters raised. 

“Our two consultants and contractors at the National Youth Authority embarked on an inspection at the Nyinahin Sports Complex. Phase one consisted of the stands A, B, and C and the VIP stand... 

“Generally, I’ve been quite impressed with the output of the phase one contractor. However, some Major concerns have been identified under the circumstance, therefore, we have had to give the phase one contractor time to deal with the defects. 

“We believe they can deal with the problem. Concerns of leakages and so on. There has to be some treatment of the concrete. Under this circumstance, we are unable to take over the site. We will engage with the contractors to deal with the issues with more time,” he said. 

Despite the rising concerns, some critical stages of phase two of the sports center will begin without interference. 

“We believe there are essential parts of phase two that would not interfere with the remedial works which would be done by the phase one contractor. Under phase two, we are going to wall the facility. And the contractors have been given the instructions to begin the construction,” he said. 

Works will also resume in four out of the ten intended sports complexes in Yendi, Nyinahin, Accra and Navrongo. 

Once completed, each facility will feature an 8-lane athletic track, a FIFA standard pitch, a career counseling centre, basketball and handball courts, a multipurpose sports hall, a restaurant and an ICT centre. 

The mini-stadium has a seating capacity of up to 5,000 people.