BENIN CITY – Chairman, Local Organizing Committee, (LOC) 20th Edo 2020 National Sports Festival (NSF) and Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu has frowned at the poor maintenance culture at the University of Benin’s Ugbowo and Ekehuan campuses. He made this observations during an on the spot assessment of facilities at the campuses which are expected to serve as the games villages for the sports fiesta.
With a seventeen day countdown to hosting of the 20th Edo National Sports Festival holding in Benin from March 22 to April 1, 2020, he lampooned former management of the University who allowed hostel facilities to rot even while in use, he urged the present Vice Chancellor, Professor Lillian Salami to rise above board and do the needful after this repair as taxpayers money was being deplored for renovation of the hostels. He advised that the present management of the University should not allow the facilities to slip back into a state of decay.
He called on the site engineers, Peculiar Ultimate Concept to expedite action on the renovation work so as to meet the set deadline before the comencemrnt of the fiestival.
The Director of Works, University of Benin, Engr Wilfred Iyawe pointed out measures put in place to ensure the flow of water for use during the sports festival while Professor Osaretin Agbovo, Head, Games Village Committee was on hand to take the LOC Chairman and other officials round the facilities.
The hostels as at the time of inspection were being painted, mosquito nets being fixed to windows while cleaning of the rooms was going on. Corrugated roofs were also being put in place in leaky places. Plumbing work was ongoing though a lot still have to be done to bring the dark/dank hostels to life to give a befitting facelift to these housing infrastructures for use of athletes (games village) for the NSF.
Shaibu later stopped over at 1st Freedom Street to inspect one of the designated car parks for use for the games while proceeding to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium where he inspected the gym whose construction could be said to be about seventy percent done.
He also inspected the eight lane tartan track which has been marked for use, the swimming pool and the practice track for athletics. He looked at the floodlights, office spaces, sitting arrangement at the main bowl and those meant for the outdoor games while taking time to interact with sportsmen and women who were on site in readiness to proceed to close camp.
