FG seeks N21bn to renovate national stadium Lagos

FG seeks N21bn to renovate national stadium Lagos

 

The Federal Government requires over N21 billion for the renovation of the national stadium in Surulere, Lagos.

Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Sunday Dare, disclosed this during an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation work at the stadium on Friday.

Dare said the ministry had only been able to secure four per cent of the amount needed for the renovation of the sporting edifice.

The stadium was built in 1972 under the regime of General Yakubu Gowon and hosted the 1973 African Games in which Nigeria emerged champions for the first time. It also hosted the 1980 AFCON, with the men’s football national team ruling Africa for the first time ever as well.

It later became a venue for religious and social gatherings and was taken over by hoodlums, squatters, hawkers and bar operators.

Dare said on Friday that Kensington Adebutu, the chairman of Premier Lotto, agreed to fund the refurbishment of “the football pitch and tracks and digital scoreboard” with N400 million.

The minister added that “80 per cent of the job for all those three items is almost done”.

He called for intervention from private organisations to “adopt” other facilities that require renovation in the stadium.

“We needed N21 billion to fix this place as at three years (ago). We only got an injection of N400 million or maybe N400 million plus. About four per cent of the 100 per cent of what we need. We were realistic. We approached funders, and they asked for priority projects, and we listed eight of them,” Dare said.

“And the funder said he was going to do the football pitch and tracks and digital scoreboard. Now 80 per cent of the job for all those three items is almost done.

“As I said, there is no silver bullet because if I need 100 per cent and I have four per cent with an additional two per cent from the government, I have to keep going.”

The minister also said the stadium owed about N600 million in electricity bills in 2018.

He added that the water bill was over “N150 million” but “we’ve been able to restore the water”.

“When you look at the debt profile, it is huge. The stadium was left for 17 years with nothing happening,” he added.

 

FG seeks N21bn to renovate national stadium Lagos