Renovation Works have begun on the phase one of the Koforidua Jubilee Park in the Eastern Region following a Ghanaian Times publication on the bad state of the park.
The first phase of the renovation works which include re-roofing of the daises, repainting of the entire place, improvement of lighting system and sanitation conditions, among others would be completed by the contractor, VIAN Enterprise, in a month.
The renovation works would cost about GH₵160, 000 for the first phase.
Currently, the roof of the daises had been re-roofed whilst other renovation works are still ongoing.
The Municipal Chief Executive of the New Juaben South Municipal Assembly (NJSMA), Mr Isaac Appaw-Gyasi, explained to the Ghanaian Times on Friday that the renovation works were in fulfilment of his promise to get the place back to sanity.
He revealed that the re-roofing of the daises had been completed and “currently the contractor is working on the cracks on the public stands.”
“All cracks on the walls will be taken care of, the stands are being tiled now, washrooms are also going to be fixed and we have asked a plumber to take care of it. Moreover when everything is done, we will repaint the place,” he assured.
He was hopeful renovation works on the park would be completed soon to enable them to hold the Independence Day celebration on the park.
Mr Appaw-Gyasi assured that the second phase would begin after the first, adding that logistics for the second phase had been included in the 2021/2022 budget of the assembly.
“The second phase will include the major renovation works which will tackle the eroded pavements, among others,” he said.
The Ghanaian Times reported on Thursday, November 4, 2021 that the Koforidua Jubilee Park, which was built with thousands of Ghana cedis, had been left in a deplorable state by city authorities.
The park, which was built in 2007 as part of several others in the regional capitals to mark Ghana’s 50th anniversary, had become an abode for lunatics, stray animals, miscreants, Indian hemp (wee) smokers.
As a result of the neglect of the place, its surroundings and parade grounds had been overgrown with weeds and filth, and concrete tiles used for the floor were also being washed away by erosion.
When it rained, several ponds were created on the parade grounds and the facility also got flooded due to its poor drainage system.
Due to heavy rainfall, parts of the roof were ripped off and the situation destroyed the lighting system.
The structures on the park, especially the daises had developed cracks turning them into death traps.
Washrooms were unkempt and the place was flooded with a mixture of rain water, urine and human excreta.
Residents expressed worry about the deplorable state of the park and called on the city authorities to fix it.
FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA
