Emma Njoku
The Federal Government plans to grant franchise to a consortium of private investors for the management of facilities at the National stadiums in Abuja and Lagos as well as other stadiums owned by the federal government across the country.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development, Mr Gabriel Aduda, and Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Sports, Olumide Osoba, made the disclosure in separate chats with sports journalists in Lagos, recently.
Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Sports were in Lagos, midweek, to inspect the ongoing rehabilitation/upgrading of facilities at the National Stadium in Surulere, as the federal government moves to lure private investors into sports, in line with its vision to turn sports into big business instead of mere recreation.
“We need to upgrade our facilities such that investors would bring in their money and be able to make profits therefrom. So, we expect that by the time the ongoing rehabilitation/upgrading work at being funded by Sir Kenssington Adebutu is completed, the concession process sets up. The concession is such that the consortium that would take up this place will bring it up to world standards, because it is going to be a commercial venture,” the permanent secretary, Aduda, said.
Chairman of the House Committee on Sports, Osoba, did not rule out the possibility of Lagos State government taking over the management of the stadium someday.
“The concession of the stadium is still in view. If Lagos is interested in taking over the stadium, there will be a discussion between the federal government and the Lagos State government, so that due diligence is followed. “With the opening of the bid, there’s still a window for the maintenance of the facilities for two years; it doesn’t mean that Lagos can’t come in after 24 months and take over,” he said.