Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare has given reasons why the renovation works plan for Moshood Kashimawo Abiola MKO Stadium, Abuja is being delayed
The Minister on assumption of office has disclosed after his first six months in office that Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote has agreed to begin renovation the Main Bowl of the Stadium last year.
But speaking during a Radio Programme on Tuesday, the Minister said he could not stampede the renovation as the project is a private project and the funds are coming from a private individual.
“We were on the verge of completing the documentation process before the novel covid19 struck out and we had to shut down the whole country, a global shutdown as the case may be,’ Dare said.
“Remember, It’s a private investment, private support from Alhaji Dangote’s company and they have to go through a lot of processes, they have to invite up to 8 different contractors; They have to visit the stadium, they have to turn in their bill of quantity and they have to sit on a review board.
“The company also has to decide on which contractor is the most suitable to give us the best job, being the National stadium, all of these take time, they are normal standard operating processes.
“I’m glad to say that very soon, we are now in the stage of purchasing order and we must also remember that we cannot force the process because we are dealing with a well respected Nigerian who is bringing in money without plans to recoup anything back to help maintain the national stadium,’ The Minister added.
It would be recalled that the 60,000 capacity stadium was built in 2003 during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and over the years, the national edifice began to waste away.
