The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice Chairman for Dormaa East, Anthony Kwabena Oppong, has urged the constituency’s Member of Parliament, Rachael Ama Owusuaa, to halt any planned demolition of the Wamfie Astroturf project and ensure its completion for the benefit of residents.

Oppong also appealed to the Dormaa East District Chief Executive, Osei Owusu King, to intervene, insisting that the unfinished sports facility should not be destroyed for political reasons.

The appeal follows reports that a grader had been deployed to remove surface chippings from the astroturf at Wamfie, the district capital. The development has reportedly sparked tension among some youth and NPP constituency executives.

Speaking at a press conference, Oppong said the NPP had no problem with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), but argued that the district’s development should take precedence over partisan politics.

He questioned the rationale behind spending public funds to remove parts of an existing project when the resources could instead be used to complete the facility.

“We have no problem with the NDC. What we want is development for the people of Dormaa East,” he said, urging the current administration to reconsider any decision to demolish the project.

Oppong further appealed to the NDC government to complete inherited development projects that remained relevant to communities rather than abandon or destroy them because they were initiated by a political opponent.

The NPP Constituency Director of Communications for Dormaa East, Ransford Nkum, echoed the call, arguing that successive governments should preserve and complete useful projects regardless of the political party that initiated them.

He said the NPP had completed several projects started by the NDC when the latter was in opposition, adding that the same principle should guide the current administration.

According to Nkum, the NDC could assess the relevance of the Wamfie Astroturf and complete it if it served the interests of residents, rather than allow political differences to determine its fate.

Meanwhile, the NPP Constituency Secretary for Dormaa East, Albert Oteng, claimed the project was about 75 per cent complete when the NPP left office.

Oteng also alleged that the MP had connived with some youth to destroy part of the pitch’s inner perimeter. He said he had initially doubted the allegations but later became concerned about the reported developments.

He called on the MP to prioritise the completion of the first phase of the project to provide a sporting facility for young people in the district.

“If she cannot complete it, she should not destroy it,” Oteng said, stressing that the facility should be preserved for the benefit of the community.

The NPP officials maintained that completing the astroturf would provide the youth of Dormaa East with a valuable sporting facility and prevent resources already invested in the project from going to waste.

EA