Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Dalung arrives in Lagos for National Stadium handover talks

By Editor
28 February 2017   |   3:48 am
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, will begin a two-day working visit of the National Stadium Surulere and various youth centres in the state tomorrow...

National Stadium, Lagos.

• Minister, Governor Ambode inspect sports city tomorrow

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, will begin a two-day working visit of the National Stadium Surulere and various youth centres in the state tomorrow, Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, Nneka Anibeze, has disclosed.

The visit is connected with the plan by the ministry to hand over the National Stadium to Lagos State government. According to Anibeze, “the inspection begins what will eventually end up as a cooperation between the Federal Government and Lagos State to renovate the National Stadium. The edifice has continued to dilapidate after the last international game was played in the main bowl in 2005.”

Anibeze revealed that Governor Ambode expressed intent to give the stadium a face-lift last week, when he paid a courtesy and condolence visit to Dalung in Abuja.

Ambode had at the condolence visit tabled his intention of bringing the National Stadium to life. He said, “If this project pulls through, it will bring about the employment aspect of football and hosting of matches at the stadium. We want to bring back the football culture of Lagos State to the National Stadium after its renovation.”

Anibeze revealed that most stadia in the country had been up for concession following Federal Government’s inability to fund the renovations of most of the football grounds.

Dalung had earlier said, “We were trying to drive a concession but Lagos State’s interest in the National Stadium is what we call an overriding interest which is based on equity. If Governor Ambode is interested in the National Stadium then the concession process is already abated.”

While at the stadium, Dalung and Governor Ambode would inspect the stadium to assess the level of work to be done there before visiting the various youth centres in the state.

3 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    If the Lagos state government wants to take over the national stadium in Lagos, shouldn’t it be paid for just as other national assets that the federal government has sold in the past. It would be robbing other stakeholders, if Lagos state does not pay for the ownership of the stadium.

    • Author’s gravatar

      Unless it is for temporary “use & maintain” basis this is the kind of asset appropriation which must be reversed in the future. APC can’t be transferring national assets to their cronies and friendly govts.

      • Author’s gravatar

        “We were trying to drive a concession but Lagos State’s interest in the National Stadium is what we call an overriding interest which is based on equity. If Governor Ambode is interested in the National Stadium then the concession process is already abated.”
        So u can go and read through again…National Stadium has been a ghost town for more than a decade!should we continue with that?..infact I believe the best place for super eagles to play is lagos :trust Lagos fans;they ll call the bluf of any lazy team there!
        Concession is the best deal!