BENIN CITY – Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu in company of some key government officials yesterday inspected ongoing work at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, assuring of its readiness for use for the Edo 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF). The national sports fiesta is scheduled to hold from March 20 to April 5, 2020.
Speaking on the state of preparations towards its effective outing at the games, Comrade Shaibu stated, “We have come to check the state of work and conclusion of timelines. Going by what we have seen here today and comparing with when we came two weeks ago, one can say that there is great improvement.
We are sure that the deadline would be met. We are also happy that the tartan tracks are here now. All that left is for them to be fixed. You can see them working on the ground towards fixing them. When that is done, we are 90 per cent sure that all is ready. Based on the fact that there is so much construction and reconstruction work still going on at the Stadium, one of the venues slated for use for the sports festival, Hon. Shaibu reiterated, “I am very sure of us meeting up with the deadline. We must test run this facility before the NSF.
That is why we have scheduled the Edo State Sports Festival to take place here in February. What we are just doing now is seeing to the finishing touches.
For the Lawn Tennis Court, it is just about markings and fixing of the chairs. For the main bowl, tartan tracks and tennis, it is about painting and cleaning up.
I am sure we will meet up with the deadlines. The swimming pool is almost ready. The gymnasium I am told, already has a twenty one day deadline for completion.
Don’t forget that this is not only the facility we are using. We are also using some facilities at the University of Benin, National Sports Commission ground and some public secondary schools where we have big halls for use for the indoor sports games.
I must tell you that we are good to go, especially with the ‘Edo State Sports Festival’ coming up which would be used as basis for our open qualification trials towards participation and representation of the state, in the NSF games.
I am using this medium to tell our youths, professional and non professional, especially the home based, to start their preparations. I want to see an upset duting the state sports festival where the home based defeat the professionals to represent Edo State in the National Sports Festival.
Project Manager, Peculiar Ultimate Concept, Engr Femi James noted that despite minor innovations, the construction phase of the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium was keeping to set timelines for completion and test run of facility.
