The leadership of the Celebrity Golf Club at Sakumono, near Tema, has appealed to the President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, to intervene in the destruction of the course by encroachers whose activities have resulted in the demolition of the boundary fence protecting the course and other properties.
The course, one of only four 18- hole golf courses in the country, is located on the western bank of the Sakumono Lagoon.
According to the leadership, its existence has come under threat from encroachers who, according to Club Captain, Mr Alex Oppong Baffoe, are hell-bent on replacing it with buildings.
“The ongoing encroachment has caused serious havoc to the course and is gradually leading to its complete destruction and the cessation of golf activities, further resulting in the loss of livelihoods.”
Taking journalists on a tour of the facility last week, Mr Baffoe, together with former Club Captain Mr David Renner and ex-Lady Captain, Madam Catherine Fabbi, called on President Mahama to take up the issue, as all other calls to the appropriate authorities have yielded no positive results.
“We have reported the issue to the Inspector General of Police and secured the necessary approval to put up a boundary wall, but the situation has only worsened with the demolition of the built fenced walls,” Mr Baffoe stated.
He disclosed that the Minister of Sports and Recreation, Mr Kofi Adams, was informed about the issues which he followed up with a visit to assess the damage caused.
The Minister pledged to intervene and halt further encroachment; however, things have gone from bad to worse since he gave that assurance.
“We are law-abiding citizens of Ghana; we do not want to take the law into our own hands. Hence, we are going through the due processes, yet we are being failed by the law.”
“We are pleading with the President, Mr Mahama, to step in and stop the illegality being perpetuated.
“The wanton development threatens not only the course but also the very survival of the revered sport of golf in Ghana,” he appealed.
“Visibly cleared trees and broken fences were seen on the fairway while site workers and heavy-duty machinery were busily engaged in their building works at the time of the tour.
The developers have cleared trees along the northern edge of the course, an area earmarked for a practice range while blocking access to the dam that supplies critical water to the course,” he lamented.
These, according to Mr Baffoe “poses danger to both golfers and workers. This has led to the exodus of club members to other courses for safety, gradually killing the Celebrity Golf Club.”
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
