Heavy Downpour Turns Effiakuma AstroTurf Into Swimming Pool
Residents take advantage of flooded pitch for swimming and football.
- Effiakuma AstroTurf was flooded after heavy weekend rains
- The facility, built by Ghana Gas for $200,000
- Locals, especially kids, were seen swimming and playing football in the waterlogged field
The AstroTurf pitch in Effiakuma, located within the Effiakuma Constituency, was completely flooded following several hours of heavy rain over the weekend.
A viral video showed local residents—mainly children and teenagers—enjoying the unexpected waters, swimming and playing football on what had effectively turned into a large pool.
This facility, built by Ghana Gas at an estimated $200,000, began construction in 2018. At the time, Joseph Cudjoe, then Member of Parliament for Effia Constituency, highlighted the significance of such recreational spaces for developing local football talent.
He said, “The many recreational facilities in Effia are meant to serve as platforms to nurture football talent. These parks are where our future national teams will be born. We plan to build numerous AstroTurf fields across Effia.”
By 2020, the pitch was completed and officially opened to the community.
However, drainage issues have long been a problem for the facility. David Tetteh, a retired footballer and academy coach at Sedan FC, confirmed flooding is a regular occurrence.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced flooding here. Usually, after just a few hours of rain, the pitch fills up with water,” he explained.
“This time, the rain lasted longer, so it’s no surprise the entire surface was submerged,” he added.
The recent flooding incident underscores the persistent drainage challenges, which were severely tested by the continuous rains affecting the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.
