On Saturday, 9 December 2023, Wembley Sports Construction Limited celebrated a decade of its operations by extending support to widows and orphans in the Greater Accra Region.
The company distributed bags of rice, soft drinks, and crates of eggs, among others, to the widows and orphans.
Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, former mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), delivered a speech with which he reflected on the journey that began with his vision to popularise astroturfs as a household commodity in the country.
“A decade ago, I initiated the construction of the first astroturf at Kotobabi Cluster of Schools, despite facing criticism and challenges during my tenure as the mayor of Accra,” he said.
Mr Vanderpuije shared the satisfaction of witnessing the transformation of bare pitches in Accra into state-of-the-art playing fields illuminated by floodlights to unearth more football talents in the country.
The former mayor, now a Member of Parliament for the Ablekuma South Constituency, expressed pride in the decision that, in his view, has proven to be a game-changer over the past ten years.
Now young people are able to participate in football activities late into the night all because of astroturf.
In his welcome address, Mr Robert Tetteh Coleman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wembley Sports Construction Limited, acknowledged the pivotal role of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in endorsing the “One-Constituency-One-Astroturf” initiative.
“Thanks to this support, Ghana now boasts of around three hundred astroturfs across the nation, a stark contrast to Nigeria’s sole facility,” he said.
Mr Coleman emphasised the initial challenges of gaining acceptance for the astroturf concept in Ghana but highlighted the collective effort that turned it into a nationwide trend.
He credited the success to notable figures, including Stephen Appiah and Asamoah Gyan, former Captains of the Ghana Black Stars; Referee Joseph Wellington, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies, former President John Dramani Mahama, and others.
Expressing gratitude, Mr Coleman underscored that without the support of these influential figures, including his parents, Dr. Randy Abbey, Augustine Ahinful, Dr Daniel McKorley, Dr Ben Asante among others, the dream of “One-Constituency-One-Astroturf” would not have materialised
