Dangote Group
Dangote Group Commences $1m-Worth to Rehabilitate
Moshood Abiola Stadium
In fulfilment of the promise made a year ago that the nation’s
sporting facilities would be revived, the Youth and Sports
Development Minister, Mr. Sunday Dare on Wednesday flagged off and
handed over the pitch of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium to the
Dangote Group, for the commencement of rehabilitation by Messrs,
Aron Nigeria Ltd.The rehabilitation will be done with 24 weeks.
Speaking at the handing over ceremony, Mr Dare asserted that the
promise made on assumption of Office a year ago that the pitch and
indeed other facilities will be revived, in line with the
Ministry’s policy of Adopt Campaign. ‘’ I promised that this pitch
and indeed other facilities will be revived and put to best use by
athletes… in line with that mandate, we sought the support of many
philantropists and sold them our vision of bringing back the glory
days when our national stadia were filled to capacity on football
game days which were the melting pot of various cultures and people
of all ages.
The Minister thanked the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji
Aliko Dangote for responding to the call to restore the edifice.
After months of discussions, planning and processing, that promise
has come to fulfillment today with the kick –off of the project…
the football pitch will be getting the long overdue face- lift it
deserves.’’
Mr Dare commended Alhaji Dangote and his group for believing in
the vision of the Ministry by agreeing to partner with it to
restore the fading glory of the edifice. The Minister further
asserted: ‘This landmark event reinforces my faith in the
public-private sector partnership in line with Government’s efforts
at delivering on our mandate. Government alone cannot fund sports
and maintain facilities. we need more private
corporations to take a cue from what Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Chief
Adebutu Kessington have done in supporting our drive to renovate
and maintain our facilities for use by our athletes and to play
host to international events.
While urging Messrs. Aron Nig. Ltd, the Contractor to move with
the speed of light, Mr. Dare said government had imbibed a proper
maintenance culture to guarantee that the huge sum spent on
these projects are not wasted.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Gabriel Aduda
averred that the Government does not have the resources to maintain
sporting facilities, hence the strategy to partner with the private
sector through the Ministry’s adopt campaign. To this end, the
Permanent Secretary stated that the campaign is yielding
fruits.
Speaking during the event, the representative of Dangote Group,
Engr. Ahmed Mansur stated that the Company was committing One
Million US Dollars to the project, to ensure that the main bowl
pitch of Moshood Abiola Stadium is restored to world class.
The ceremony was witnessed by the Chairman, Senate
Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Ogba; President of the Nigeria
Olympics C ommittee, Engr. Habu Gumel, Mallam Alhassan Yakmut,
Special Assistant to Mr President On Sports, Daniel Amokachie;
Nwankwo Kanu, Garba Lawal, Tijani Babangida, Chika Chukwumerije and
Gabriel Okon; and an impressive array of our
ex-internationals in attendance to lend support to the Minister of
Youth and Sports Develpt.; Mr Sunday Dare.
A.B. LERE- ADAMS/
MEDIA OFFICE TO THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF YOUTH AND SPORTS
DEVELOPMENT