The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, yesterday, formally received the rehabilitated Moshood Abiola Stadium pitch and digital score-board from the Dangote Industries Group (DIG) that revived it after years of neglect under the “Adopt-a-pitch” initiative of the Honourable Minister, Sunday Dare.
In his remarks, as the representative of the Chairman of Dangote Industries Group(DIG), Aliko Dangote, the Executive Director, Stakeholder Management and Corporate Communications of the Group, Alh. Mansur Ahmed, stated that the formal hand-over of the rehabilitated pitch is a testimony of the commitment of the company to sports development and supporting Football – a foremost sports, Nigerians are passionate about.
“As we all know, Nigerian players are international but until now, we don’t have an international standard facility and our commitment is to work with the Ministry to make sure that this particular facility remains of international standard. We are therefore happy to contribute by this renovation, and by the arrangement to maintain it for the next two years”, Mr. Ahmed added.
The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Ismaila Abubakar lauded the Dangote Group for believing in the vision of the Minister and the Ministry, and exemplifying a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that works. He restated the commitment of the Ministry to ensure that the new facility is put to productive use and properly maintained.
In his submission, the Special Adviser to the President on Sports, a former Nigerian International, Daniel Amokachi showered encomiums on the Minister for his foresight in thinking out of the box to fix the dilapidated pitch.