Kumasi, June 08, GNA – The National Sports Authority (NSA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), to leverage on research to improve football pitches across the country.
As part of the collaboration, the Horticulture Department of the KNUST would conduct research to identify why most grasses on Ghanaian pitches are not able to withstand the weather, and how best to use local materials to improve the pitches.
The Department would also train managers of pitches of the NSA on the right species of grasses to use to ensure quality and long lasting pitches to facilitate sports development.
Professor Mrs. Rita Akosua Dickson, the Vice-Chancellor, KNUST welcomed the collaboration, saying that “research and collaboration touched the nerves of the University”.
“One of the things that we are very much convinced about as a university is that we have always been staunch believers of constructive partnerships.
She added that, “we believe that with the mandate that we have as the leading science and technology university mandates us to go through research and proffer solutions to solve the myriad problems that this country is facing”.
She said the research work of the KNUST would be best seen and attested to through its impact on humanity, society, homes, industry, sports among other fields of endeavours.
The Vice-Chancellor commended the NSA for finding it expedient to collaborate with the University to develop its pitches and pledged the commitment of the KNUST to the MoU.
Prof. Peter Twumasi, the Director-General, NSA said his outfit had a mandate to develop about 47 sporting disciplines in the country which required collaboration with institutions such as the KNUST to deliver on its mandate.
He said the NSA in the last six years had scaled up sports infrastructural development across the country, providing 100 astro turfs and multipurpose stadia which could host about 20 sporting disciplines.
Such facilities, he noted, would reduce pressure on the Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Essipong stadia which have also undergone renovations recently.
He said sports had the potential to create employment for the youth and stressed the need for stakeholders to join forces to develop the talents as a strategy to address youth unemployment.
