Sports Minister inspects National Stadium, Lagos, endorses concession of facilities

Ifeanyi Eduzor

The Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh Thursday embarked on facility visit to the National Stadium Surulere Lagos.
Enoh who was taken round the stadium by Director of facilities and Stadium Management, Alanamu Abolore accompanied by other Directors in the Ministry, visited virtually every section of the stadium including; the Main Bowl, Indoor Sports Hall, table tennis hall, tennis courts, squash Court, swimming pool, boxing gym, Brai Ayonote Boxing hall, National Institute For Sports ( NIS) and the Medical Center.
The Minister who was visibly sad with the state of the stadium, expressed regrets at the bad state of the stadium; saying that he weep for the edifice.
” It’s unfortunate that a national edifice like the national stadium is in this bad state and this shouldn’t be the symbol of our sports in a city refered to as sports city. Infact what I saw is not good for sports development of this country and I weep for the facilities “, he lamented.
The Minister said he’s happy with the job Aliko Dangote and Kessington Adebutu ( Baba Ijebu) are doing at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja and the National Stadium Surulere Lagos:saying it’s an evidence that the involvement of private sector is key to rehabilitation of sporting facilities and sports development.
According to him, he’s happy that the process of concession of the facilities is ongoing and should be sustained, positing that he endorsed the process.
Enoh who said that his focus will be centered on sports development that will involve developing facilities at the grassroots where talents abound, running leagues in other sports where the country has comparative advantage as well as being Minister of all sports pledged to offer quality leadership and commitment to his work.