The Nigerian Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in a bid to revive the long-abandoned National Stadium in Lagos State, has inaugurated a Ministerial Task Force tasked with rehabilitating the facility’s edifice. Speaking during the inauguration, the minister noted that the committee has the mandate to assist the government in taking initial steps towards restoring the glory of the renowned stadium. Noting President Buhari’s commitment towards completing abandoned projects, the minister stated that the Moshood Abiola, Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo stadiums will be fully restored to serve Nigerian athletes better.
The National Stadium in Lagos holds a lot of fond memories for our sportsmen and sportswomen, and indeed millions of Nigerians. The government shall no longer allow our sporting infrastructure to lie waste. President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to completing abandoned infrastructure and also maintaining the ones that have deteriorated. The Moshood Abiola, Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo stadiums shall be restored and made available to serve our athletes.
Sunday Dare
Headed by Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, the committee is comprised of 13 members which were drawn from the ministry, the organized private sector, and is also complemented by security agencies. Their tasks include
- Carrying out audit of approved tenants.
- Verify details of tenancy agreement.
- Come up with a list of all approved and unapproved physical structures; and approved constructions.
- List of all squatters and their businesses.
- Carry out a detailed analysis of all revenue generated at the stadium.
- Taking inventory of all shops and businesses within the stadium premises.
With the deadline for completion of assignment set at three weeks for the committee, the minister noted that the sanity of the stadium at Surulere (Lagos) needed to be restored before completion of the entire project.
Through a robust Public and Private Partnership (PPP) model of concession and the Adopt-a-Sports Centre Initiative, these stadiums are set to enjoy some new lease of life. The concession process of the Athletes’ Hostel in Abuja and the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos as approved by the federal government is now on a fast track. Before the process is completed, we need to restore sanity to a place like the National Stadium in Surulere. So, the work of the task force is cut out.
Dare
Source:
This Day Live
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