National Stadium, Abuja, Lagos Going Into Private Hands Soon -FG

TAIWO ADELU

The private sector is to takeover the management of the National Stadia in Lagos and Abuja soon.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung made this known while speaking to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting Wednesday in Abuja.

Dalung said the maintenance of the facilities could not be sustained by the government hence the need to concession them out to the private sector.

“The Federal Executive Council approved the concession of the Abuja National Stadium in 2012 because it was under-utilized while the National Stadium Lagos has been out of use due to the present dilapidated state.

“Government cannot effectively manage these facilities with the budget allocated for their maintenance so we have to proceed on the concession process which we met on ground” Dalung stated.

The Minister said that the Ministry of Youth and Sports is about to get approval of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) after which they will proceed to call for bids from the private sector for the concession.

“The ministry has received a design of the proposed transformation of the National Stadium, Lagos and Abuja. The design makes provision for a 5-star hotel and an artificial lake in Abuja which will serve as facility for 12 water sports”.

The minister reassured that the reconstruction of the two stadia will boost sports in the country as well as the economy as foreign and local athletes will be afforded the use of the facilities.